2008 Château Cos d'Estournel
Community Tasting Note
LiteItOnFire wrote:
Friday, July 16, 2021 - 2021 Bordeaux Tasting Trip; 7/12/2021-7/16/2021 (Bordeaux): A tasting in Bordeaux of 71 wines, some of the best I have ever had and others, umm, well were disappointing. If you read the Tasting story (and my grading history) I think it will do a much better job putting this in perspective.
I was very much looking forward to my St Estephe tastings, with super high expectations for Cos. While unfair to discount St Estephe based on Cos and Calon Segur tastings, it has certainly made it take a back seat and won’t search it out until I get to taste a great vintage from one of the estates, from my inventory or elsewhere (finally I saved money by not having to double up previous orders after the fact).
Tasted at the chateau
2011 Cos gran vin
2008 Cos gran vin
2011 pagados
2017 Cos Blanc
I wish they were willing to open other vintages as I left more confused than before I arrived. If it wasn’t for the 2010 Pagados had a couple of years earlier, I would have written this Chateau off completely regardless of its pedigree as the wines I tasted this trip, vintages and top performers literally crushed this wine at half the price.
I will withhold final judgment until I taste a better vintage.
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23 comments have been posted
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Comment posted by RockinCabs:
7/24/2021 2:53:00 PM - Lite, the rating (97) on the 2008 does not seem to tell the whole story. The 2011s are not representative of what Cos can do and I am surprised they are showing them.
Pop a 2003 and a 2009 to see Cos turned up in volume. I love the 1996 myself.
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
7/24/2021 3:08:00 PM - Rock- thank you. Yes I fat fingered this on the mobile site, happens way to often and easily. Thank you for good catch.
Love those vintages and will look out for them to give another shot… and I have a bunch of the recent vintages (and a random ‘14 and ‘05).
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
7/24/2021 4:06:00 PM - I second RCabs comments, here!
Comment posted by TashNYC:
7/27/2021 8:02:00 AM - I think the 2008 Cos needs more bottle age (or a 2-3 hour decant ... or drink from a 375 and decant), rather than being not that good. The unfavorable comparisons with 2003, 2009 and 2010 are unquestionably true, but all 3 of those vintages (and especially 2003) are vintages that drank really well early. And are therefore somewhat atypical.
These big tastings (71 wines) are a wonderful way to try wines, but some wines don't show well in that format. I have had wines where it is nothing special at the group tasting, but at home with a long decant and food, some wines are so much better.
I am holding my 2008 Cos for 5+ years more, at least.
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
7/27/2021 8:20:00 AM - TashNYC- thanks for your input. The 71 wines were not at one tasting rather spread out throughout the week at the various Chateaus. I love this Chateau, no question about it simply prefer different vintages that better appeal to my palate.
I switched buying and therefore drinking lesser (for my palate) vintages as I prefer to focus on what is excellent for my palate vs just good. This allows me to have a larger inventory of chateaus.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
7/27/2021 11:16:00 AM - Tash, you make some great points, especially if all 71 wines are drunk at a single event, which in this case they weren't. You can drink '08 BDXs now, but obviously they need a long decant and aren't in the window where many BDX drinkers want them to be. Me? I like them in all windows but def need to adjust for the decant times, too.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
7/27/2021 11:18:00 AM - Lite, what I've done is find a core of BDX Chateau that I love and then focused on their vintages that float my boat. You can't possibly have all the best, of only the best....at least most of us can't. And there are some of the top Chateau who may not make a wine you like or that really floats your boat even though it's a100 pointer! For example, there are a few that really push the green pepper/pyrazine/herbal side of things and score quite high but it's not a profile that floats my boat, at all......cheers!
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
7/27/2021 11:52:00 AM - Mark- we may be actually saying the same thing. I only now buy in the best vintages and if budget doesn’t allow it, I either buy more from the cheaper chateaus I like or skip a year or buy backwards and only buy non-stellar vintages in quantity if I have personally tasted the wines (if not I may buy one from the chateaus I love to make sure it meets my standards). Why buy wines I don’t like with so many options available?
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
7/27/2021 12:12:00 PM - Lite, I agree.....also at 63 yo.....I'm really buying backwards on the vintages I like and the wines I like rather than looking forward with the futures. I purchased but a few futures for '18 and '19 and zero '20s.....hard for you to understand my logic at your tender age, I know....lol. I figure if in 20 years the '20 Cos is really singing, I'll just put out for a few bottles and enjoy!
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
7/27/2021 12:19:00 PM - Mark- when the dinosaur’s roamed was there TVs? I 100% get it and the only reason I bought heavy this trilogy was due to the change in Bordeaux views on early accessibility with longevity vs only longevity if that makes Sesse. If I was old as dirt I would do the same thing (actually you stayed at the future game longer than me since this is my last heavy year (@~50 years old).
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
7/27/2021 12:25:00 PM - Nah....we had fire, but no tv's.....my buddy invented the first radio.....I thought he was crazy! Who knew???
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
7/27/2021 12:27:00 PM - ....and try as you might, Ryan, you won't be able to let go of buying futures as easy as you think.....the next crazy good vintage and high scores from Galloni will suck you right back in! Then you'll rationalize it by saying....well, I'm only 55 now. LOL......and it'll happen again 5 years later when you're 60, too.....
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
7/27/2021 12:36:00 PM - Mark-LMAO
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
7/27/2021 1:05:00 PM - I do 2 shows on Fridays........
Comment posted by RockinCabs:
7/27/2021 1:24:00 PM - Hahaha. My plan had been cutting futures off at 40 ... 2020 was going to be the end of future's for me as there are no more birth years and I won't likely see the top wines in 2080. I also hear consumption drops off after 75 ....
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
7/27/2021 3:00:00 PM - Rock......not where I live, old people are drinking ALL the time! Still with over 1200 bottles and only 12 more years to get to 75, I should be in good shape!
Comment posted by JJYoyo:
8/1/2021 6:02:00 AM - Lite- sorry you weren’t impressed by the 2008. Probably an insufficient decant time which surprises me at the chateau. I attended a Cos tasting in NYC pre-pandemic and the 2008 showed quite well - not at the level of the 2005 or 2010, but still very enjoyable. The 2005- with enough air - rocked my world fwiw. If I had a disappointment relative to hype it was the 2015 which, even allowing for being in an awkward stage, didn’t seem to have the tension or delineation I expect. Maybe I just don’t like 2015s….
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
8/1/2021 6:12:00 AM - JJ, the '15s are just a touch different 'structure'-wise, I think. They kind of sit in an in between place, relative to other vintages. Some will love them, some won't. Oh well, there's always more vintages!
Comment posted by JJYoyo:
8/1/2021 8:04:00 AM - Mark - yes I agree. I happen to like the 14s I have had more than the 15s - even though 15 is supposed to be (and probably objectively is) a better year. I have never tasted a 12 I really liked. I have yet to taste an 05 that did not make me happy to be alive.
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
8/1/2021 8:14:00 AM - JJ.....I think the '15s will be great, at some point.... 5 years more? 10? Just not sure. But they will also be different. I kind of like that though, I hate when all my wines taste and feel the same.....and I've actually had a couple of '12s that I really liked.
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
8/1/2021 8:44:00 AM - JJ- I was excited to taste here and build my inventory but the wines, whether it was style, age, vintage or air time simply did not help sell me. Thank you for the added decant time suggestion which very well be what was needed.
I do love the ‘15s but my experience with them on the right bank is much more, so far anyway, then on the right bank. Like Mark said I think the left bank ‘15s just need a lot more time but wine as we all know is a fickle beauty.
I also agree I have not had many 12s that I was overly happy with but have loved ‘05, ‘09, ‘10s that made me do cartwheels (ok maybe not as I would hurt myself pretty good :))
Comment posted by Mark1npt:
8/1/2021 11:45:00 AM - Lite, the '12 Troplong Mondot was a beauty.....would make any Napa-head happy.
Comment posted by LiteItOnFire:
8/1/2021 12:39:00 PM - Nice! Will be very interested to see how the stylistic change effects the wines going forward.