2016 Château Cos d'Estournel

Exceptional quality, silky tannins, cinammon, turmeric, cloves, grilled liqourice root, crushed rocks, almost seamless, so full of life and character, and brambled fruit. Chcooate, damson, so juicy and characterful, and singing of St Estèphe character, this is the appellation at its best. Decades ahead of it.

Cos continues to cement its place at the top of the second growths. It has moved on from the emphasis on heft and ripeness to a much more polished, elegant style. This 2016 retains the structure, with 70% new oak adding to the glossy, smooth tannins and palate feel, whilst adding in intense blackcurrant fruit, Asian spices, leafy hints and plenty of mineral drive to finish.

In my last sighted review of the 2016 Cos d’Estournel, I wrote: "I suspect it will close down for a period in its youth." Perhaps it is already beginning to shut down, because though this wine was deeply impressive, it fell just a notch short of ethereal previous bottles, despite its "pixelated black fruit" on the nose and "sublime balance" on the palate. I tasted the wine twice thereafter, though this time with a 4-6 hour decant, and this revealed the Cos d'Estournel that has amazed since I first tasted it out of barrel.