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2nd Grand Cru Classé in 1855
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What more recognizable Château in the Saint-Estèphe appellation than Cos d'Estournel with its oriental style and pagodas? An exceptional wine with an identity all its own, and nothing to envy anyone. In 1811, Louis Gaspard d'Estournel acquired several hectares of vines not far from a place called Cos, or "hill of pebbles".
It wasn't long before he was touring the world promoting his wines, even as far away as East India, where they were much appreciated by the maharajas. A reputation that earned him the nickname "Maharajah of Saint-Estèphe". Work then began on Château in 1830, offering the famous Far East-inspired architecture, with pagodas and elephant statutes.
His reputation earned him the title of Second Grand Cru Classé in the famous 1855 classification for the Paris Universal Exhibition. Owned since 2000 by entrepreneur Michel Reybier, numerous technical renovations have been undertaken, with the aim of constantly striving for excellence and precision.
Today, the vineyard covers 100 hectares of vines, an average age of 45 years, two-thirds of which are planted with Cabernet Sauvignon, followed by Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. They are used to produce the grand vin and Second vin, Pagodes de Cos. Some plots, however, are planted with white grape varieties, Sémillon and Sauvignon blanc, used to produce Cos d'Estournel blanc and Second vin, les Pagodes de Cos blanc.
The 2011 vintage offered an atypical climatology, with a very hot and dry first part until the end of June which allowed a fast development of the vine. The summer months were cooler and wetter, and the good weather returned in September with a sunny harvest. The harvest is carefully selected to keep only berries of homogeneous and high quality.
Blend of the 2011 vintage: 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 5% Cabernet Franc
The robe is a deep red color with an elegant shine.
The nose is complex and powerful, revealing aromas of very ripe forest fruits, kirsch cherry, undergrowth and peppery spices, enhanced by a hint of truffle.
The attack in mouth is silky and reveals very quickly a dense, balanced and long wine, carried by a silky tannic structure. We perceive greedy flavors of vanilla wood and blackcurrant cream, all carried by a nice acidity that lasts until the finish, long and racy.
Food and wine pairing:
Cos d'Estournel 2011 will be appreciated with a stuffed saddle of lamb, herb-crusted roast beef, duck breast with a pepper sauce or small game such as wild rabbit.
It goes well with uncooked pressed cheeses such as Gouda, aged mimolette, cantal or morbier with truffles.
Enjoy it with desserts such as pear and chocolate cake, black forest or profiteroles.
Cellaring potential and tasting:
Cos d'Estournel 2011 will reach its tasting peak between 2025 and 2030. A vintage of patience that can of course be enjoyed today, by opening and decanting the bottle 3 to 4 hours before tasting, so that it can fully develop all its aromas.
To follow its evolution over time, it is advisable to proceed with successive tastings to measure the evolution of the wine and its qualitative peak.
The bottles will be kept in the cellar in a dark place, lying down, with an optimal hygrometric degree of 70%.
