Bob was right, this should’ve been served in the first flight with the Pichon Lalande and Ducru above as it was simply over-shadowed by the power of the '96 LLC and Haut Brion drunk alongside. That being said, I still thought it was a beautiful wine that really showed the terroir of St. Estephe with flavors of earthy dark fruits, Asian spices and road tar. A beautiful wine that needs drinking now. 94
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This is on point! Popped cork and the perfume from the bottle was instant. violets poped on the nose. On the palate cedar, pencil shaving, gritty tannin and blue fruits. In perfect balance. I am not sure this will get better, it will hold for aonther 10+ years easy, but not sure it will improve. This was so damn good!!!!
This was really good immediately after decanting with noticeable fruit still present. The fruit faded after 30 minutes or so leaving a more mature Bordeaux profile. Enjoyable throughout with the first phase my favorite.
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Tasted blind. Notes of black fruit, burnt rubber, dried herbs and sous bois. Quite restrained and lovely, but not as good as previous bottles I’ve had.
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It’s a real pleasure to revisit the 1996 Cos d’Estournel. I’m sure I’ve tasted it in the interim, but my last note on this was in 2012. Over the past 12 years, this has retained almost every element of the character I last found, full of plum and blueberry compote, clay, lavender, cedar, cigar, espresso, and intense pencil. The palate is slightly less generously fruited, showing more beef blood and cumin. This takes half an hour to get going and then after an hour of pleasure Brettanomyces starts to dominate. Yet it’s still a wine relatively early in its evolution, mellowing, losing (a little) heft and cultivating some finesse, underlining the reassuringly slow glide of great claret across time.
About twenty years ago, when I was newly getting into wine, I went to a Christie's pre-auction tasting at the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles. There I was introduced and fell in love with my first tastes of old first growth Bordeaux, like Lafitte and Haut Brion. This Cos took me right back there from the second I smelled it--scents of autumn leaves, tobacco, pencil shavings, and cedar. I really enjoyed this and it reminded me why and what good aged Bordeaux can be. It gradually changed but didn't diminish over the evening, with its long after taste, earthy secondary flavors, complexity, nicely integrated tannins with plenty more life left for further aging, and beautiful balance.
An evening of fine wine and food (Black Salt Restaurant, Washington D.C.): This blend of Cos 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, which had aged in 65% new oak was the "wildest" of the three Médocs we had over dinner, which included GPL and LLC. Above all, a powerfully tannic wine, whose tannins had a somewhat caged animal aspect but not unripe, notwithstanding hints of grilled paprika that for me added complexity to the more evident ripe cassis, truffle and tar. Fuller bodied than the Grand Puy Lacoste of the same vintage, and a longer finish, infused with peppery spice and a cooler blue-fruit aspect. In any case, at least this bottle - thanks Keith - could easily be cellared for the longer term.
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Fantastic Cos ! Intense and very complex nose shows crème de cassis,cedar,truffle,graphite,some leather and tobacco.Full-bodied,the palate is really impressive,with complex flavors built around a core of concentrated,ripe and juicy fruit.A big wine,at the same time elegant and with incredible focus and length.Still young,but ready.Should drink well for at least another 10-15 (or even more) years.
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Yes, this is delicious. Creamy deep red fruit with cassis, leather, herbs. Concentrated fruit, great resolved tannins on finish. Youthful, drinking at a perfect age right now and for another 10+ years. Excellent.
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Thanksgiving Mondo Dinner 2023 (Atlanta, GA): Tasted double blind. Wonderful left bank nose with some greenness and herb on the finish. I called it '96 Pichon Lalande. This is the first time the '96 Cos really showed well. My prior tastings of it have been backward and austere.
Positive surprise - holding up very well in a Cos d'Estournel vertical tasting (1985-2009). Very enjoyable on the palate, nose was rather on the dull side. Still fresh fruity notes, primarily black cherry. Tannins still present and well integrated giving this wine a very silky texture. This wine is too good to share with any food pairing, but perfect to impress your friends and beloved ones. Approx. 10 years + opportunity window to enjoy this baby.
Double-decanting, 1h before.
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Pristine bottle at peak drinking window now. Wonderful top nose of licorice and cassis, not too tertiary yet, really has some reserves left, followed by a potpourri of earthy elements, bacon, vanilla. The palate is elegant, medium bodied, grippy but ripe tannins, good acidity. Really a texbook Bordeaux that in Napa only Dunn probably makes. My kind of wine 96+.
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Last bottle was 7 years ago when probably at peak. On opening it was like someone being woken at 5am for a game of tennis. Confused, non committal. Tasted tired old bordeaux grandmas basement vibes. This blew off after an hour and the wine started to fill out. At the two hour mark, with osso buco, she put on weight and delivered a fabulous performance. Game, set and match.
A testament to old school Bordeaux, intense without being invasive, suberbly structured, good length. A nice balance between forest floor, mushroom and tamed red fruits. At the very end, the acidity became more dominant, otherwise a splendid wine that has plenty of years left ahead of it!
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"Will this bottle ever wake up?" was the question in the room. Well, it is timidly entering its drinking window. Tannins are slowly giving way to a dense, complex and elegant wine built on perfectly matured black berries, pairing plums, tobacco and vanilla notes with pencil shavings, pepper, coffee and ink, to a multilayered classic Bdx story to be told over at least two decades.
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A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) and Merlot (35%). 13% alcohol.
Dark yet moderately translucent cherry-red color with a light dried-blood hue. At first the nose feels somewhat restrained yet still very complex and attractive; however, it slowly opens up, increasing in intensity to some degree. The bouquet shows aromas of ripe dark forest fruits and smoky notes of chipotle, some herbaceous leafy and bell pepper notes of Cab, a little bit of fresh blackcurrant, light evolved nuances of earth and cured meat, a hint of tobacco, a touch of cedary oak and a whiff of Asian spices. The wine feels dry, sinewy and quite structure-driven on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and very intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants and red plums, some hebaceous notes of roasted bell pepper and leafy greenness, light evolved nuances of tobacco and meaty umami, a little bit of cedary wood, a hint of toasty oak spice and a vague touch of smoke. The combination of high acidity and still moderately assertive and grippy tannins make the overall feel pretty muscular, yet not tough or aggressive. The finish is complex, intense and moderately grippy with a long, savory aftertaste of meaty umami, some tobacco and roasted bell pepper tones, a little bit of wizened dark fruit and ripe blackcurrants, light woody notes of cedar and pencil shavings, a sweeter hint of pruney character and a smoky touch of chipotle.
I tasted this wine 7 years ago and I described how the wine was showed remarkably youthful qualities and firm structure despite the somewhat evolved nuances, guessing that the wine will keep for at least another 10 years. Well, the wine has continued to not only keep, but also evolve for the past seven years now, the wonderful tertiary qualities coming a bit more to the fore and the firm tannins showing a bit more resolution now. However, the wine still feels surprisingly youthful and vibrant for its age and the tannins are still surprisingly firm and grippy. This is as fantastic a wine as it was then, maybe even a tad better and more complex now - although the nose wasn't maybe as rich and powerful as it was. Yet still, this was easily among the best vintages of Cos we had in in our 1985-2002 vertical - if not the best (along with the exceptional 1985 and 1986 vintages). Based on its impressive intensity, sense of youthful energy and firm structure, this is an extraordinary vintage that will continue to keep (and hopefully improve) for many, many years more. Very highly recommended.
Classic Cos drinking at its peak right now. Decanted a couple of hours before serving, which seemed a very good choice. It clearly shows the classic style with its exquisite balance, complexity and "lightness" in the best possible meaning of this term. Moderate alcohol, sufficient acidity for graceful aging, just a hint of welcome herbaceous notes. This might be one of the last vintages of Cos in this classic style; also before change in ownership. Drinking close to its peak now, but should continue to do so for at least another 5+ years.
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Drinking beautifully now with a 2-hour decant showing such a smooth, texture with a layered mouthfeel. Delicious but subdued dark berry fruit with lovely mature notes of sweet tobacco, graphite minerals and a touch of green pepper. An older style of Bordeaux with it's lower ripeness but it remains a joy to drink.
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Another contestant to our blind "Summer of 96 Tasting Event". This one was neither a surprise nor a disappointment. Solid, with still astonishingly chewy (and wild) tannins, young acidity but slowly vanishing/blurring fruity notes on the palate. This Cos will definitely age in grace, but is definitely not in my top three of best Cos vintages - thus, I will pass on this
Stellar. If I can sum it up, classic and extremely well balanced. The structure is impeccably refined, a tower of numerous dark fruit enveloped in floral and herbaceous notes. The sniff of acidity is perfect, and CARRIES thru the entire nose to swallow journey. Tannins are still prominent, but softened with maturity. Even the color shows the strength of this wine with just a touch of tawniness on the edges - wife called it the touch of wrinkles on a phenomenally distinguished face. Since we were enjoying this for so long, caught a whiff of charry leaves, sandlewood, and very faint citrus.
This bottle is testament to keeping a cellar and filling it with wines from the old world. I just bought another.
Virtually perfect Bordeaux. Wonderful if surprising richness to this wine, full of sweet blackberry, with hints of leather and underbrush behind, great balance of primary and tertiary here. The charry oak is still discernible but adds rather than detracts. Medium bodied, good acidity and tannin, now softening. Long and complex, drinking perfectly but will go on for decades yet.
Unfortunately it was oxidized and off. There were still tannins that were nice and clinging to the tongue, chalk like texture. But this was off unfortunately. Cork broke and was moist up through the top.
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PnP as there was something to celebrate. Cork was perfect. After the first glass decanted en it just got better and better during the evening (~ 4hours). The last glass was the best, brilliant development over the course of the evening. this should last for decades. After my initial horror, afraid sensing what I thought was more VA than likeable, it became a brilliant clean and pure wine with black currant, black cherries, blackberry, plum, graphite, mushrooms, tobacco, cassis, leather, chocolate, ceder, pencil shaving. Lovely lingering finish. 95+
It was a hard ask to follow the experience that I had with this wine in January, but this came very close. It does take a good bottle and some patience though. This bottle was pristine and the aromas wafted through the room as I pulled the cork. My plan was to decant for 1 hour and then return it to the bottle for later (trying to mimic the treatment this may have had when I tasted in January). The wine was youthful in appearance and the nose intense but for logistic reasons (ok, my IF schedule!!) I did not taste. I worried that I might be missing prime time. Had left the decanter in the cellar and forgot about it, so it was over 2 hours before I retrieved it and tasted. The nose was still nice, but the palate was thin with slightly bitter tannins. Now I was really worried and decided to leave it in the decanter. We distracted ourselves with a nice champagne (La Rogerie) and left it until dinner. By now maybe a 5-6 hour decant? Nose was incredible. Just jumped out of the glass with plummy fruit, tobacco, and all the complexity you would expect. The palate was not all the way there but still excellent, no more bitterness just lacking some intensity. Another hour and the palate begins to fill out. Rich fruit and now some chocolate notes, delicious. Long finish. Just getting to its best but then it was gone…. No rush to drink this if you have well stored bottles but drinking exceptionally well with a long decant.
Excellent broad expressive nose, first with tobacco, then cassis, graphite, lead pencil and licorice. After an hour or so it softens and has an amazing tasty, juicy and almost full-bodied palate. Seems almost more primary. A pretty long finish, thats also quite dry. I have had this many times and it is always an excellent Cos. While its in its maturity range i guess it will last many years and might change and improve.
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Deep ruby to garnet color. Cigar and dried cherries on the nose. Medium body, medium-plus grippy tannins, medium-to-medium-low acid. Dried cherries and licorice on the palate, picking up some earthy, fungal flavors and iron mid-palate that overwhelmed the fruit through the finish. Fairly average aged Bordeaux.
Last bottle of a case bought in 2006 and actually pretty representative of the other 11 bottles - good but not great. This breathed up well enough with notes of beef broth, graphite, red fruits and sandalwood but on the palate it was stuck in third or fourth gear, not really moving beyond primary notes and with no real complexity or breadth. One or two bottles of this case have been memorable but this is unfortunately another that is just a bit of an underachiever in the context of other notes and the vintage. May be storage issues of course….
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A big grippy wine with some lovely dark fruit and classic Bordeaux tobacco/leather/pencil shavings qualities. I feel like I’m enjoying this more than last time. It seems like a better bottle, more in balance between fruit and acid/tannin. This might improve in a few more years but it’s great now with beef.
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Elegant and complex. Hedgerow fruits, tar and forest floor. Medium weight, good freshness, refined tannin with a nice grip. Long lingering finish of tar, complex. Drink now and through the next 20 years.
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Mini vertical of the 96 and 05. The 96 was beautiful with expressive nose of cassis, graphite and tobacco. Medium bodied and long finish Drinking well! It was the oldest of line up of 05,06, and 2012 Bordeaux’s and Napa cab. Held us own in a strong crowd
This is the best Cos I have ever had. Everything I could want from a left bank Bordeaux. Double decanted a few hours before consuming (I think). Dark youthful color, so open and intense on the nose and palate. Initial tobacco notes gave way to dark red fruit, cassis, eucalyptus, umami/soy and a strong mineral streak. Kept a glass for later in the evening and the coffee notes came out, luxurious texture, long finish. A wow wine and bested the 1996 Margaux by its side, although not by much.
Pronounced nose intensity with leather, forest floor, cooked red and black fruits, spices, toast, incense. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin. Finish is long.
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Toasty oak and black fruits with hints of gravel, graphite on the bouquet. Rich and intense on the palate. Medium-bodied structure which is open and elegant, leading to a lingering and deep finish. Ready to drink now and will continue to hold for the next 3-5 years.
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An hour in the decanter. What a lovely classic Cos. Not so fruit driven now but more all the other aromas that I like about this wine. Cedar, cassis, tobacco, liquorice, ink and leather. All in a velvety melange. Medium aftertaste. In its prime but will live for long still.
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Open, attractive cedar driven inky bouquet, very Left Bank. The palate is classic and regal, dark cassis, tobacco, cedar, (non-modern) oak spice, minerals and inky notes. Superbly elegant, velvety and satiny character. The good acidity provides classy freshness which complements this perfectly. The aftertaste is deceptively light and gentle but long. I prefer this over the 1990 and the 1995 which both are more ripe and have lower acidity (and 40 % Merlot whereas the 1996 has 35 %). The 2000 is promising but too young at this point. This is a true Grand Vin which is drinking perfectly now but will last many years. A privilege to taste this indeed.
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Pronounced nose intensity with leather, forest floor, cooked red and black fruits, spices, toast, incense. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin. Finish is long.
Similar to last experience. There’s some nice fruit here but the tannins are still quite powerful. Not sure if this will come into balance. Enjoy now with a juicy steak.
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A cosy evening with family: Opened 45 minutes before drinking. Great nose of mature Bordeaux. On the palate, all in balance with earthy notes and a long finish. Unfortunately the wine felt a bit hollow in midpalate. Very good, but not great.
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Dinner with Nicola Biasi (The Papies, Elizabeth St, London): its been a long time since we crossed pats with the old friend. 8 whole years (Papies 92) and now this albeit still youthful and energetic is at the plateau of its peak. We all said this is young! impressively so too. But its also a magnificent wine, with all the hallmarks of the classic 1996 left bank and that ever beautiful soft austerity and minerality of St Estephe. This is not a loud wine this is elegance personified for those who like us love the style of classic well aged St Estephe. Its no bellarina either as it has presence and strength. A magnificent wine and a privilege. 95-96
Last bottle and the best of the bunch.. so much depth of flavor and an awesome nose of licorice, leather. Super tasty right out of bottle and then last glass two hours later
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Classic aromas of smokey wet tobacco, graphite, cedar, violet, gravel, light plum, blueberry, and some green vegetable notes. Palate is alive…well balanced and lengthy, with great grip, density, and reach. Not overtly dense but enticing nonetheless with long finish (60-90 seconds or more), particularly on the back.
This vintage continues to be one I love and this is another example why, and at 13%!. In peak window but no rush here. Classic!! 94-95
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Decanted 15 mins. Nose: floral, elegant, berries, perfume, leather. Palate: Berries, anis seed, some spice. In perfect spot, at the peak. Perfect and balance.
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Quite a different wine from when last tasted. Cedar and leather nose, some raspberries, a tinge of chocolate and varnish. Relatively light in weight, lovely freshness and texture. Not especially complex but perfect balance. Still a bit hot on the nose though.
Bit foursquare by the standards of the vintage, but still immensely drinkable. A recent Pichon Baron of the same year was better.
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This is cruising. Perfumed, elegant nose which continues onto the palate. Fruit still present but some developing tertiary notes, graphite, flint, truffle and chocolate. Fine tannins. In a very good place.
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In line with my note from a year ago, this is at its absolute peak, and it is interesting how evolved the vintage is. You could be forgiven for mistaking this for a wine decade older. Showing secondary and tertiary notes this has a classic taste profile with blackcurrant, plum, old leather and cedar prominent. It shows excellent depth and balance with only the finish not quite up there with the rest of the experience.
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Possible bottle variation here but this came off more astringent than my last experince. There’s still some nice dried red fruit, cigar, and wet earth notes. However, there’s an acidic and tannic quality that combine to clip the finish and give a rough texture on the palate. Maybe this is on its decline or an off bottle. Need to try again soon.
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3rd of 13, opened 2 hours and decanted one hour, perfect cork and level, regressed and rather dumb since my last bottle in July 15 though better on nose, all the right elements and enough fruit I think to cope with the tannins, strong vanilla scent on opening suggests over-oaked, upside and 25+ years. Downgraded to F (17.5).
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I cannot imagine this wine ever being in a better drinking window then right now. Enjoyed with close wine friends tonight who brought the bottle. Before writing this TN I reviewed my previous TN on this wine from '08 and '09 and note evolution to the peak of the drinking window has occurred but no revolution. Drink or hold - no further upside expected with more cellaring but on the other hand this wine has at least 3-5 more excellent years to go with proper cellaring. Popped and poured and if possible would recommend a short 30-60 minute decant. Completely integrated, oak and tannins essentially gone and moderately long beautiful aftertaste present. Nose up front of controlled barnyard and musk which blew off quickly with remaining dark cherry, garrigue and tobacco. Primary flavors now increasingly secondary with minimal dark fruit and cassis still present up front with an earthier stone, leather, tar and anise developing. A truly classic high end well aged L bank Bdx. Highly recommend with caveat that any remaining holdings need to drunk up relatively soon.
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Cos, with the exception of its 1953 and 1985, has never really captivated me. It tends to be robust and savoury but a bit short on the incredible elegance and charm of its equivalents from Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Margaux. This 1996 is a case in point. Still vigorous in colour and body, it was open for business on the nose and palate with savoury tinged fruit, good depth, earthy hints, smooth texture, good balancing acidity and still firm but ripe tannic structure supporting a decently long finish. There is plenty of life left here. So very good but it is missing that bit extra that I found in recent years in, say, Pichon-Lalande 1966 and Léoville-Poyferré 1982.
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This bottle showing even better than the previous, although still a strong element of "bottle funk" (sort of a reductive, animalistic, bretty admixture). This does take a backseat eventually to the most perfect note of a smoldering coal fire that permeates and defines this wine. I love that note, but maybe not to everyone's tastes. There is smoothness on the finish and surprisingly refreshing acidity. This was decanted 4 hrs and followed over 24 hrs. It fell apart a bit the second night. I would drink any remaining ones over the next 5 years ideally. It is a delightful wine, and sad to say this was our final bottle ...
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Great wine, had a few badly stored bottles recently but this was flying. Surprisingly big and rich, lots of tar and bramble. Deeply layered and so complex. Long finish. Drinking now will last for decades.
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Allowed to breathe in glass 1 hour. Clear deep garnet red color. Lovely fresh bouquet of black and red berries, cherries, and their liqueurs; fresh violets, walnuts, pencil shavings, gravel, hints of pipe tobacco. Similar on the palate, seamless, beautiful balance, polished, silk-satin mouth feel. Improved with air, seems vigorous, with many great years ahead. Another experienced taster said this was as good as 1996 Chateau Latour tasted last month.
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Nose: Beautiful red berries, cherry fruit, graphite, earth and rich coffee notes. Wonderful as always. Palate: middle weight with exceptional balance. Pencil, cherry, wet each and mineral notes. Finish: lengthy, coffee, graphite and red fruit.
Remains a benchmark Cos under Prats in my opinion.
what a special bottle of wine, decanted for over two hours, the nose shows some leather, dried cherries, herbs and a hint of smoke, immediately I noticed how bracing the acidity was, it lifts the wine high, and carries flavors of blackberry, tobacco, sage, cassis, and earth effortlessly, very much in the zone and with plenty of years ahead, paired with braised short rib stew
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I've seen a number of recent tasting notes on this vintage, and as I've been sitting on it for a while decided to pop one ... A bit of "bottle funk" blows off with some time in the decanter ( 1 hr or so) to reveal a very balanced, almost mature Cos. I'll give the remaining bottle another few years though to further develop those secondary spice qualities. A delicious bordeaux though for sure. (Strangely enough, this vintage to my palate seems less evolved than a 2000 Cos which was drinking amazingly a few years back)
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Decanted for 90 minutes before my first sip, then consumed over about five hours. A bit of funk initially on the nose, but blew off to show heady black fruit and earthy baking spice aromas. On the palate, blackberry dominates, framed by a well resolved tannic grip and zingy acid that rolls on through the long finish. Superbly balanced and surprisingly youthful for a 25-year old wine. Really good stuff. Drinking so nicely now but these will definitely hold for a very long time to come.
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This was even better than my previous bottles, but it might have been the friends with whom we drank the bottle that made it feel more special. Flavor notes are all the same as previous notes.
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Always perfect, I have gone through 6 bottles in 3 months now! Pop and pour, pepper, wet earth, dark fruits on the nose, zingy mid palate, amazing finish - what more could one ask for!
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Pronounced nose of mushroom, barnyard, fig, black plum. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin. Well balanced and in prime drinking window. Decanting will help.
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Decanted 2.5 hours and followed for several more. Paired with Spencer steaks and mushrooms. Opaque ruby garnet. Nose of soulful green, currant, cassis, cedar, raw flowers. Layers of dark currant, graphite, nuanced tobacco, green pepper, and fine soil on the velvet-textured palate. Spiny acidity and smoothed, feathered tannin. Long finish of echoing red fruit, green, and sweet earth. Lovely wine.
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Upon opening at 14:00: Very slight brett. Smooth, generous fruit. The tannins are smooth too. 20:30. Quite nice. No brett. Very straight. But not as good as Léoville Barton 1996 opened at 14:00 too.
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From Mag, similar to last years bottle but nose seems to have improved further! No decant needed but improves with air, few tertiary notes so several years left but in such a great place right now that it is hard to imagine this wine can further improve...
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This has further developed over the last 12 months, and is at its absolute peak. Dark berry fruits, cedar and tobacco pervade but strawberry notes are now also apparent. The previous leanness on the palate has been addressed as the secondary notes have further evolved and tertiary characteristics are emerging, and the finish is excellent. It still benefits from an hour or two in the decanter to blow off any barnyard funk. 94+
This is very classic, chiseled Bordeaux with a crisp lean texture but there are also ripe dark fruits with a very Cos profile of sweet gravel, graphite minerals and oriental spices. Finishes quite complex with notes of tar and gun smoke. A beautiful, terroir-driven Cos and I believe well-stored bottles of this will continue to develop for another decade or more. Very succulent and satisfying especially with a charred steak. Decanted 3 hours and it needed every bit of it. 94+
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Double-decanted. Another splendid bottle, this time fortunately as number 4 in the line-up rather than number 8. The sweet red cherry and blueberry fruit core is orbited by mushrooms, truffles, wet forest floor and tobacco flavours. Also floral aromas of violets. Round on the palate with a silky texture, fully integrated tannin and sufficiently fresh acidity. This is exactly what I need my Bordeaux to be like.
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This was a pristine bottle and cork came out with normal corkscrew. Primary flavors still alive with a beautiful fruit core. Red currant, strawberry and black cherry. Medium acidity and medium intensity on nose and pallet. Long finish. Secondary aromas and flavors of smoke and tertiary flavors of Forrest floor, tobacco and leather. No decant needed!
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Double-decanted briefly. Although already quite in a good mood and senses clouded by this being bottle number 8 in a lunch that got slightly out of hand, I think I hit a perfect bottle. Amazing array of aging notes including forest floor, leather, tobacco were pinched by precise fruit of blueberries and dark cherry. The palate was sensual, silky and perfectly integrated leading to a long, leathery finish.
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A evening of 20+ year old Bordeaux (Wilmette Harbor Club, Wilmette IL): The nose is old-school Cos in all of it's glory as it fills the glass with tones of cedar, cigar wrappers, dark red cherries, cranberries, licorice, mint, cassis, kirsch, earth notes, and some toast. There is great depth and expression with a slightly rustic side that has a bit of elegance. The Full bodied feel is well balanced and deep with medium acidity and silky, medium+ tannins and a lengthy finish. The feel is where this really shines as there is excellent layering and balance. This is in a perfect place. There is a rustic quality that adds in some perfume and elegance with a bit of nuance.
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Nice oaky nose with warm reddish fruit and forest floor. Palate had nice acidity on the front, followed by more red fruit, with some chalk and minerals. The tannins were somewhat drying on the finish, altho after about 3 hours it was very silky for a St. Estephe. I think has plenty of life left.
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opened 3 hours before drinking, very Bordeaux, some barn/animalistic notes at the beginning, changed into dark berries, cassis, round tannins, some sweet spots paired perfectly well with some acidity, great depths, still young but drinks really well already. Lots of fun
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Slightly musty nose, Coravin nearly blew the cork out of the bottle - so perhaps not in perfect condition. Elegant classic Bordeaux balance of fruit and structure. Blackberry and cassis, leather, oak and underbrush. mid-weight, high-ish acidity, nice non-aggressive tannic grip. Long and complex. Still young, drink now and over the next 20 years.
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Tasted blind and immediately knew this was special. Should have known this was Cos but I think I ended up guessing Pape Clement... was even thinking Brunello at one point, even though the color didn't match. Classic Bordeaux notes: dark fruits, cigar box, a bit of barnyard. The aroma is layered and quite intense. One of my favorite Cos vintages and, in my book, a top notch left bank. Grade: A−
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Really good showing, lots of blue-black currant and some cassis, overlaying a nice graphite and earthy core. The sides are softening, but this is still a young wine, very '96 in that it is generous and friendly, has a supple palate, yet plenty of underlying power. Many years to go. With Jim W at Dagon on the Upper West Side, a new Israeli place, which we enjoyed.
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Quite closed taking some time to open somewhat up; not as charming, inviting and fruity as the Comtesse same year also tasted; once it started to show, a nice “correct” Bordeaux with good length; overall impression fine and nice, but no blockbuster - and not sure it will improve with more time
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Opened on a whim to herald in the New Year! Double decanted for 1 hour. Beautiful condition... gorgeous tension between spiciness and dark fruits... feels perfect point to pop the ‘96 Cos.. beautiful sweet mid palate. Great length. Maybe the nose fades a little early but taste goes on and on... lonely wine!
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Had a 1990s blind tasting Bordeaux theme. Key observation was that despite different individual palate, drinking experiences and how food will impair/change the wines, like previous tasting together; the WOTN and the least preferred is always the most distinctive and obvious. Leaving the rest to individual taste. Also, based on RP vintage chart, 1996 is extraordinary vintage; 96 pointer with remarks of still tannic, youthful or slow to mature. Sometime, off vintage might be a better choice for its readiness and price point.
Bottle 1: 1994 Chateau Latour Medium garnet in colour, tight nose with grippy tannin. Nose of red/black fruits, oak, toast. Medium+ acidity and high tannin. Decanted for 1 hour. Poor vintage for Bordeaux and show that even in poor vintage, the winemaker still can blend and produce good wine. Will not improve and should drink up to enjoy.
Bottle 2: 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild Medium garnet in colour, savoury, mushroom, wet forest, red/black fruits, toast, oak, toast. Silky in the palate. Could guess it’s most probably early 90s. Very enjoyable. Did not decant. My thought aftermath was should drink up and will not improve.
Bottle 3: 1996 Chateau d’Estournel The taste is way better than the nose. Infact felt that the nose was rather closed. On the palate, its mellow, smooth and elegant. Blackcurrant, black fruits, with some toast notes. It lost out due to the nose. Decanted for 1 hour. Previously when tasting d’Estournel I remember always tasting smoky, toast, oaky notes. Should drink up now, in its drinking window.
Bottle 4: 1993 Chateau Angelus Deep garnet in colour. Nose is pronounced of all. Savoury, wet forest, black fruits, oak, toast. Medium+ acidity and high tannin. Though high tannin, it is resolved and smooth in the palate. Double decanting for approximately 1 hour. Another poor vintage but performing at its peak. Surprisingly, based on the notes, it can still probably improve and can be kept easily 5-10 years.
Bottle 5: 1996 Leoville Las Cases Deep garnet in colour. Nose is restrained. More red fruits than black fruits. High tannin and acidity. Very grippy tannin. Slow ox for 2 hours. Personally felt that Las Cases should be showing better than this. Should benefit if it’s decant longer. I felt that it’s in the early drinking window and will improve with more cellar time.
Bottle 6: 1996 Pichon Baron Deep garnet in colour. Nose is poorest compare to all. Full of green, mint, pepper, some slight tints of black fruits. High acidity and tannin. It did not perform well despite a good vintage and wine producer. Probably due to not decanting ahead. Will definitely improve with decanting and cellar time.
Bottle 7: 1996 Carrudes de Lafite Deep garnet in colour. Pronounced notes of red/black fruits, savoury notes. High tannin and acidity. Tannin is smooth in the palate. Did not decant. Drinking very well and will improve with 1-2 hours of decanting. In its optimum drinking window and also will benefit with cellar time.
The WOTN as per average consensus: 1) 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, followed by 2) 1993 Chateau Angelus 3) 1996 Chateau d'Estournel 4) 1996 Carruades de Lafitte 5) 1996 Leoville Las Cases 6) 1994 Chateau Latour and lastly 7) 1996 Pichon Baron
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Anything Goes (Zoom): Decanted 1 hour, poured and sealed in 5 individual jars, and then drank 3 hours later via zoom. Blackberry, cherry, barnyard funk, pencil lead, cigar box, mocha, scorched earth, rose and allspice. This was a great showing for this wine.
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Virtual Holiday Wine Tasting (Home): Very dark red/purple color, 6mm transitional edge. Very dark red plus color with a 6mm transition to clear. Decanted for 1 hour, poured into vessels at 2pm and into glasses at 4pm. Drank a glass over 3 hours. Winning the award for nose of the night says something here. What a glorious perfume this exudes: earthy, barnyard, violets, potpourri, leather, cassis all intense and high toned. The palate can't quite get to the level of the nose, but that is a very high bar tonight. The youth of the palate is showing a bit, and maybe a touch more air would bring it fully together. Full bodied, well concnetrated, dark fruits, leather, grainy tannins with a little edge to them, dense pencil, earth, and leather abound. Outstanding again. Tons of time, give this a couple hours to fully blossom. My #3 WOTN, tied group #2.
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The Players: A great lineup for this tasting, which featured the following wines: 2013 Aubert Lauren Vineyard 1982 Leoville Poyferre 1996 Chateau Cos d'Estournel 1994 Dominus 2009 Bryant Family Vineyard 2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Five Shooter 2009 Suduiraut Sauternes
The Prep: All wines were poured into jars and transported, and consumed 2-4 hours later. The following wines had additional decant times: 1996 Cos d'Estournel - 1 hour decant before pouring into jars 2009 Bryant Family - 1 hour decant before pouring into jars 2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Five Shooter - 2 hour decant before pouring into jars
Voting/Ranks: (Group) WOTN - 1994 Dominus #2 (Tie) - 1982 Leoville Poyferre #2 (Tie) - 1996 Cos d'Estournel (My Ranking) WOTN - 1994 Dominus #2 - 1982 Leoville Poyferre #3 - 1996 Cos d'Estournel #4 - 2009 Bryant Family Vineyards Cabernet #5 - 2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Five Shooter Note: only 1 point separated the top wine from the Botton wine in this group (for me)
Wine Notes: 1996 Cos d'Estournel - This wine was delicious and had the best nose, by far, of the top 3 wines. I thought this wine was drinking remarkably young, in that even for a 24 year old wine, it still seemed like it had the fruit, tannin and acidity to further improve. This wine showed a nice perfumed nose with lots of dark fruit and hints of leather on the nose. On the palate, the wine was dominated by dark fruit with graphite and wet leather, but also had some earthiness and lavender in the background. I think this wine has the potential to be a show-stopper once the tertiary flavors become more dominant. The finish was medium with mostly graphite and leather lingering. Delicious, and easily a 96, with some upside potential. If I had multiple bottles, I would not hesitate in opening with 1-2 hour decant. If I only had one bottle, I would wait another 1-2 years before opening. This wine could have easily been WOTN, and it would be hard to argue against it!
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Nicely evolved in terms of colour. On the nose open and expressive showing tobacco, cedar, graphite, undergrowth, red fruit. On the palate good acidity and fruit, slightly drying tannins. Very well balanced, very expressive and persistent. A lovely bottle! 94-96
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Was a few weeks back, so no detailed notes. Bottle in perfect condition - wine into neck. Decanted for a couple of hours than drank over another couple of hours with duck breast - felt too powerful for that & clearly remember thinking that this would be better with a steak. Still lots of dense & powerful fruit and plenty of structure, although all well integrated & no hard edges. It was a very good, very enjoyable St. Estephe but burlier than I was expecting. No complaints, this was a great bottle of wine, but if this was meant to be a more elegant vintage of this wine, I am not encouraged to splash out on a 2005 etc. A much higher price bracket than I usually go for (can afford). After finishing the Cos, we opened a Demi of Batailley 2005 & it was notably fresher & maybe even my preferred wine. I am glad I had the opportunity to share a bottle of this, but at £125 I would be unlikely to buy again....I will leave off scoring, but no problem with the current average - I also think this could still have some (significant) potential upside.
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Nose presented as a swirl of cranberry, light cigar smoke and plumb. The palate was quite balanced with similar flavors and resolved tannins. Altogether quite stunning.
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Opened at 17:00. At 22:22: The nose is still somewhat restrained but pure, contrarily to a previous bottle, which was slightly brett. Nice, pure red fruits in the mouth. Not very long. Still some dry tannins. At 23:04:The nose is at last opening, showing tertiary components. The mouth is very satisfying, with complexity showing up. But not very concentrated. The Pontet Canet 1996 is still much better.
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Big, dark, fully mature fruit with dried herbs, coffee, black olive, charred oak. A wonderful, brawny, strong, smooth wine with silky mouth feel, fine tannins and a bit of black acid on the finish. Good strength but not a lot of finesse. Very long finish. Fully mature and at peak drinking, will hold at this level for 5-10 years.
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Bordeaux 1996 Left bank versus 1998 Right bank (more or less) (By SK In Vught Aan het Fornuis): The bouquet is more youthful than the previous wine in this tasting. It has red berries and bell pepper. On the palate still powerful with bell pepper, red berries and a lot of red berry acidity. Slightly disappointing for Cos. I have a few bottles, so there will be a follow up on this note.
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This has really moved forward in the last 12 months, and now is firmly in its prime drinking window. Packed full of dark berry fruits, tobacco and cedar with barnyard funk, it needs a couple of hours in an open decanter to blow off the cobwebs. It has good depth and balance on the palate but I find it on the leaner side in the mouth. The finish is very good and is 30+ seconds. I think the wine has finally hit its peak and contrary to my previous assertion I am unsure of its potential longevity. 93+
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My best bottle yet. Tanins pretty much resolved with black fruit remaining. Dare I say it has evolved into a very elegant wine. This is definately at peak and maybe cresting over.
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Another stellar bottle of 1996 Cos d'Estournel with no sign of going down the hill compared to the one tasted in 2017; so 96 points overall again at this stage; however, when tasted side by side with 1994 Dominus, a bit shy of complexity and depth in the nose and on the palate.
Tasted double blind (my guess was 96 Pauillac). This Cos is drinking nicely today, although it‘s not yet at its peak with the tertiary aromatics only ever so slightly noticeable. The highlights are the sexy nose and aristocratic style. To reach the 95+ category this will need to soften further and develop more tertiary aromas. Still, nothing wrong with opening a bottle right now.
TN: Expressive nose with dark fruit, lots of minerality, and some hints of burnt sugar and coffee. Sexy and inviting. Same aromas on the palate with more minerality, pencil shavings and dark forest berries, not as charming as on the nose and with just hints of tobacco, leather popping up. Nicely precise. Tannins still noticeable with some edges which need to mellow further. Good freshness and medium+ length.
Decanting: This got 2 hours in the decanter. It could have even used 4+ hours.
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Crimson in color with some bricking at the edge of the glass. 13% ABV. Room filling nose of red fruits, cedar, leather and cigar box. Medium body with strong acidity. Powerful and concentrated with substantial tannins. Cassis, currants, plums, tobacco leaf and earth on the palate. The finish is long and silky. The elegance of this wine is noteworthy and becomes more pronounced after several hours in the decanter. Compelling now, but this version of Cos from the burly '96 vintage, will drink well for another decade.
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Right out of the bottle. Quite mature and lovely again. A beautiful bottle without it being outstanding. All the wonderful fragrances that I like about Bordeaux. Mature Blackberries, leather, chocolate, pepper, cedar and wet soil. Very integrated at this point but remain drinkable for long.
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From Mag, perfect bottle, wonderful classical nose, good lenght opening after 1h in the bottle/no decant. Should hold several more years, great wine tonight!
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Fine Wines SG - Grand Cru Discovery Pack (Delivered to Home): Deep ruby core that fades and becomes orange to the edges. Pronounced aromas of blackberry, fresh cut grass, paprika, graphite, coffee. High but softened tannins, intense blackberry fruits, grass, pepper, paprika, coffee. Very long finish, of the blackberry fruits and coffee, lasting for minutes. Excellent wine!
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Dark garnet. Developed with medium (+) intensity of dried flowers, forest floor, mushroom, tobacco, dried tea leaves and banyard. Full body, smooth but still plenty of developing fruits and rich flavour intensity. On the palate red fruits, hints of cassis, roses, tomato leaf, tobacco. Wine is very good quality and long finish, feels like it could develop a little more to full maturity. This was definitely a powerful vintage.
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Consistent, delicious, and very classic Cos. Well integrated and smooth, this offers elegance with alluring spice and a tiny bit of barnyard. I have had many bottles of this over the years and thankfully still have some left. I think this still has many years of enjoyment ahead and while it may be near its peak, it has not faded at all.
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Blackberry, graphite, gravel; smooth, well-developed, good structure, resolved, and very long finish; an excellent classic claret but nothing extraordinary here
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Light center with tawny edge. As before, cooler green complex aromas with a harsher fennel note sticking out a bit. Elegant weight, fine acidity, a bit of bitter chocolate, oregano, and some red fruit underneath it all. Correct, nothing wrong with it, but essentially dominated by herbaceousness and the fruit comes up short, but it is neither dried out nor overly tannic. I've had a hard time warming to this wine, and tonight was no different. Just not my cup of tea, I guess. Difficult to see it improving at this point.
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The Cos is really elegant. Soft supple tannins. Earthy mushrooms. Some barnyard funk but very little. Just a hint on the nose. Tobacco. Medium light body. Nice acidity. Peak was probably 1-3 years ago though.
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Drunk at the Mandarin Grill Hong Kong - The nose is this wine's hallmark. Big beautiful black fruits merge harmoniously with polished leather and even a touch of mint. I don't think this wine will ever really soften but that's what you sign up for here.
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Consistent with my 7/2018 note. A little bit autumnal at first but it freshens up and finds its fruit in the decanter. Then it features a deep black complexion with a touch of spicy cedar and an exquisitely silky texture.
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Decanted a few hours after tasting it. In a great mature place. Even though it is "over the top" it fortunately retains its greatness a long time. Not much acidity left but lovely tannins still evident. Such a soft velvety texture. Dark cherries, strawberries, chocolate, cedar, asian spices, wet stones and forest floor. I am sure I would have preferred to drink this a few years ago but it will still be a super drink for many years.
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A perfectly stored bottle - a wonderful Cos nose of smoky graphite minerals, tobacco and Asian spices. This is a leaner, more traditional style of Cos which is not necessarily a bad thing; it's just a matter of personal taste. There are deep flavors of black and red fruits with a crisp but layered texture with notes of graphite minerals and sweet coal dust. The finish is succulent and fresh with a developing complexity and that black Asian spice thing so particular to this vineyard. Medium-bodied and quite fine with upside from here based on limited tertiaries. 93+
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dark red, brick rim without much orange - beautiful nose of dark berry fruits, with moderate cigar box complexity - full rich mouth with hard tannins and good acidity - fruit falls off substantially in the finish, which is short and somewhat bitter (not that noticeable with food as by itself) - a good but not great 96, but nonetheless drinking very well now
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This taste a tad older than what it should be, according to my previous experiences. A tad funky, barn, leather with some secondary fruits. Leaner on the palate, light duty tannin, some sweet and more secondary fruits, decent length.
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Engaging aromas of barnyard and earth. A tang of black cherries follows in the taste, plums, initially a bit thin in complexity but good length. At first too much tang and not enough fruit, but with a 90 minute decant another wine emerges, full bodied and fully fleshed. Could age for another decade. A real treat. From a magnum.
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The last wine of the night (bottle #17) so take this review with a grain of salt. An impulsive pop and pour with no decant. I knew better because the ‘96 vintage of Cos has always been a tannic beast compared to the more hedonistic and open for business ‘95 vintage of Cos. It is a great wine and would have warranted a much higher score had it been properly decanted. I recommend a solid 3 hour decant for this wine to allow it to open up.
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The aromatics capture the wines mature essence with its earthy wet forest floor, tobacco leaf, cigar box and bright red fruits. There is lift in the fruit, coupled with a leafy, red berry assortment in the finish. This is probably close to fully mature, where it should remain for at least 15 or more years before entering its slow decline.
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Nose and taste of sea salt, tea leaves, nuttiness and dark chocolate. Long finish. Tannins should soften more with aging. The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are slow. It smells like mineral, espresso, cedar, walnut and chocolate. It tastes like espresso, mint, walnut and chocolate. The body is full. The wine has fleshy texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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Pale ruby with orange rim. Nose of wet earth, barnyard and cassis. Strong attack and strong acidic, tannins is smooth and balanced palate. The strongest earthy note I tasted so far, not much red or black fruit, long finish with a bit sweet taste at last. Aged well and need 20 to 30 min decant to open up. My first Cos, a special style that did not meet before, perhaps even better to serve with red meat.
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For me this was in a perfect drinking window. The bottle was well-preserved and the cork was in excellent shape. We poured through an Ullo filter and decanted for 20 mins or so. Nose was of soft leather, tarragon and fried peppers. On the palate, I noticed some black pepper, cranberry relish and dried cherry. The two of us drank it over some grilled lamb.
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This is not as developed as many of the left bank wines from 1996, but is now firmly in its drinking window. The nose and palate are all about dark berry fruits and tobacco with a faint cedar background developing in the last year. It is a very robust wine with prominent tannin, albeit resolved, and with a steely finish,but it does lack the elegance of the outstanding vintages. However, it is perfectly balanced with great depth in the mouth and on the finish. With its structure this should be able to last for the next 20 years plus, and as the tertiary flavours continue to develop, it may lose some of its harsher edges.
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Perfect wine. Owned and enjoyed many bottles of the 1996 in the past. Revisited today thanks to Joel (note below). It underscores why Cos is one of my favorite Bordeaux producers. Again, textbook.
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Double decanted for 30 min, med. ruby with a slight brick rim, classic Bordeaux nose of red fruit with leather & a touch of tobacco, black med. tannins, long finish; delicious & ready to drink
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Airoldi Fine Wines Winter Tasting (Oak Barrel, Elizabeth Street, Sydney): Soy sauce, Asian five spice, biscuit, toast, liquorice, slightly brambly, earthy, cheesy. ON the palate it's still a little tannic, fruit pretty much all gone, savoury. A little forward for me for it's age and it's quality.
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Deep red with slight browning at the edges under the light. Strong, rare steak juices and black raspberries on the nose. Silky texture with delicious notes of steak juice, mushy-ripe raspberries, super-delicious finish with mixed black berries that evolves quite a while. Deep, nuanced, and delicious; my only complaint is that the texture is a little watery.
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Licorice and tar. Dark and brooding. Eucalyptus and mint. Very smooth viscous mouthfeel but with plenty of structure to hold it together. Beautiful mature Bordeaux nose.
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BBQ & Wines (Oegstgeest, NL): Very savoury character, dense with lovely and ripe tannin, dark tea leaves, green olives, dark berries and fresh acidity. Balanced, long and serious.
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Don't let yourself fool by big labels. Sit down calmly and honestly "listen" to your own tongue. Yet another Cos who fails to impress. A charming nose, certainly, with cedar, leather and some exotic spices. Medium bodied in the mouth, with mature, black currant, cedar, leather and some cinnamon in the background, this St. Estèphe remains hesitant, austere, with high acidity levels in the finish. So overall a "passed", but don't pay today's prices.
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Gorgeous, balanced and subtle with lots of dark fruit and earthiness. While the 2005 Cos hooked me on Bordeaux 5+ years ago, I recognize the 05 has years left to maturity, albeit still my favorite Cos, I thoroughly enjoyed the 1996 - without food, perfect by itself.
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Ruby except for lighter extreme rim. Complex herbal oriented nose, especially thyme and oregano. Elegant medium weight, tart dark cherry fruit, lots of green notes, black olive, creosote, perfect acidity, and tannin to burn. It never showed any real volume or sweetness of fruit. Proper claret, still youthful but somehow not terribly exciting. It could go another 15 years at this level.
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Perfectly preserved cork, not brittle at all. Upon opening, lighter purple colour than expected. On the nose, the wine was very fragrant, notes of spring flowers and allspice. Lovely. As this opened up it started to show is true potential and provided deep dark red fruit flavours and a very long finish. This wine is superb. Well into it’s prime now but I think there are 10 more years of incredible drinking here. One thing to note, the sediment in this bottle was quite heavy.
95
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Cork was well preserved, decanted for 30 min, purple color, light sediment. Nose of dark fruits: blackberry, cherry, blueberry, barnyard, pencil lead, cedar, mocha, flowers such as rose, earth and allspice. Very fragrant wine indeed! Very silky, smooth on the palate, dark fruits, vanilla, chocolate, some pepper. Very balanced texture. Tannins are well integrated and fine grained but still present. Good acidity as well. Finish is medium too long. Overall outstanding Cos and I enjoyed it very much! Drink now or hold for few more years
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Perfect bottle. 3 hour decant. Very silky and fine with classic flavors of dark fruits, tar and graphite minerals. Really savory at this point with a medium body and a beautiful finish with notes of dark earth and coal dust. A beautiful wine for drinking now but probably more complexity to come as the tertiaries develop further. 94+
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PnP Garnet edge. Ruby core. Youthful. A bit of Brett/funk blows off leading to aromas of black cherry, ripe raspberry, cassis, leather, dust, and a touch of green character. On the palate - wow - the attack is loaded with silky fruit. It tightens on the mid palate where moderate acidity and grippy tannin dominate. This will likely open up beautifully though. Hold for another 2-3 years and drink over another 10 or so.
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Doug's wine. One of the best Bordeaux's I've had, just delightful. Fruit was muted, soy?, but very well balanced and quite enjoyable. No signs of bricking and I would guess it still has years left.
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This was a fun flight when Cos 96 showed a diagonally opposite style than what Ducru 96 did. Here we got a powerhouse of a wine, dense and with very complex fruit image of both dark and red berries. Maybe even tiny bit of balsamic tone. Where Ducru knew exactly where it was to be styled, this was a little more all over the place. More of everything. As it got air in the glass I think it gave some interesting spice as well. A "flamboyant" wine. Some mixed opinions about this wine. I liked it better than most in the group and think it makes a good figure in the genre "big and powerful"
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Friend brought this to the restaurant where we met up. He had decanted it for sediment and left open for a bit. Still a very strong purple color with little bricking. Fabulous open nose of raspberry, forest floor, and a slate-like or graphite character. Palate of lots of dark red fruits with earthy, minerals quality, and pretty much perfect acidity. This wine is open for business now but should even get better in 5+ yrs. Fun time!
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This was very nice, predominantly red fruited, but with some dark plum from the merlot and a touch of crane de cassis. Thus wine was drinking very nicely. Tannins were mostly resolved but still enough to let you know they were there. Good structure of acid and mineral, especially on the finish where the mineral almost tasted gravelly. Earthly, some aromas and taste of integrated oak, in the form of dark cocoa is present.
I did decent this and removed the small amount of sediment from the bottle before pouring the wine back in a taking it to the restaurant. It seemed initially closed when I opened the bottle but aromas were quick to come forth once the wine had been poured into the decanter. The wine was a nice opaque garnet in color.
I think this wine could cellar a good 10 more years if the cellar is a damp cool one. The cork had very little sine going up into it. Along with the fruit, acid, oak tannin, I can’t see this degrading any time soon. A very nice Cos.
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I had a choice between 86 and 96 Cos, and went with the latter at the recommendation of the sommelier. The wine had been stored very well and showed as such. Still alive, but displayed characteristics of an older vintage such as benzene on the nose and tongue. Overall satisfied but not overly wowed.
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Diese Mischung von junger frucht, pencil, cassis, brombeere, leder, bouillon, rossstall und die Balance zwischen Üppigkeit und Wärme mit Leder und Graphit, Bleistift und Mineralik ist grandios. BoW 19/20
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Been 4 years since last--still wondrous. WOTN among 7 other fine Bordeaux. Smooth and tasty, w the usual Cos markings. Having started w an '06 and going thru an '08, both outstanding in their own right, the qualitative advance was highly conspicuous.
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Opened, decanted, back in bottle - started tasting 2 hours later with duck breast and lamb chops. At beginning of tasting - well balanced, silky tannins, however a little bitter on the finish. Two hours more in the glass - bitterness gone. 93 on this bottle
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Wonderful wine, pure expression of left bank Bordeaux. I was expecting a heavier wine but this was bang on, medium to full bodied, beautiful nose of cedar, leather and pencil shaving. Soft and fully integrated, smooth with ultra fine tannins, blackberries, hint of spice. Perfect with lamb cutlets. In a great drinking window now with legs to kick on.
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Cinnamon, earth, cassis dark red fruit nose. Rich dark earthy dark cherry flavors, a little pepper on the long nicely balanced finish. Great wine showing incredible poise, classicism.
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In its drinking window, but not as forward as most left bank wines from the vintage, it could be mistaken for a 1995. The nose is mature with dark berry fruits and tobacco,. On the palate the wine is developed, but retaining a robust tannic edge. The palate is multi-layered, and in perfect balance, and the finish likewise. Lengthy decanting is recommended, but the wine is ready to be enjoyed now. 94+
A deep intensity with dark purple and ruby hues. Still youthful and filled with blackcurrants. Medium tannins. Balanced and layered. I thought right bank. Still quite tight. And little secondary or tobacco aromas. Give it even more time! Will last decades. Served by Gordon at Kelvins
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Very dusty nose when first opened and decanted, ruby red with dark core and bricking at the rims. Drank over 2 hours the wine gained complexity and volume with time wirh a palate of cassis, pepper, black currants, leather and crushed rocks. Medium to full bodied with very good structure and whilst it had a rusticity to the tannins reminiscent of Pavilion Rouge Margaux 96 the finish evolved to a more gentlemanly Cos D'Estournel finish with aeration. Very nice.
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Decanted one hour and served. This bottle showed on the high-toned, tart side of Medoc without much in the way of leather or earthiness, so not my cup of tea. It drank consistently over two hours with more acid than fruit. Not sure where this is going. Cork was pristine.
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Quintessential st estephe, subtle, smooth and multilayered, this now displays silky tannins, forest floor and earth. But also some remainders of strawberries and a charming sweetness that comes to good Cos with age. Not too powerful, but magically balanced and a perfect companion for lamb based food.
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Definitely a great Bordeaux, but maybe headed toward the end of its prime? Decanted for an hour... worth drinking sooner rather than later. On the darker / heavier side for a Bordeaux... drinks almost like a Cab.
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Beautiful wine, another one of the standout super-seconds of the '90s. Needed some airing out to shake off the dust and freshen up, but after that it's an absolute no-doubter. The fruit is rich and saucy and still vividly primary, flavors of blackberry and black plum giving it a complexion about as dark as Bordeaux gets, and showing more body and density than it did a few years ago. There is some cedar and spice and stoniness but it's still fairly youthful with the exception of the texture, which time has smoothed into pure satin in a way that just screams luxury.
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Opened by Mark. Decanted 2 hours before drinking. Lightly sedimented. 4th time I have had this wine with similar notes. Drinking well and no rush to open this wine. 92 points
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Nice dark ruby and fire-red without any bricking. On the nose, upon opening, delicate dark fruit, loamy soil and a fine vegetal touch. On the palate, the attack is frank, fresh, somewhat drying, but with good fruit as well as a faint touch of oak. Very dense and concentrated. With air, aromas of balsam wood, cassis with a hint of red pepper, mint, cedar wood. On the final, aromas of black olives, grapes and metal, the last two classical for a Cos of this era. This is a wine of another age in my opinion. In the 90s, Cos tended to be somewhat overoaked by today’s standards, but it is still a very good wine. After 8 hour of air, the tannin are much rounder and the aromas are still perfectly fresh. This could have been kept another 10 years. A good Cos and my last bottle of the 90s. 92-93
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Needed just 30 minutes of air to blossom. Medium intense mature Bordeaux nose with black olives, black truffle, tobacco, cedar wood with some dark fruit underneath. Fine tannins, good freshness, well balanced, medium aroma intensity palate with sweet and expanding cassis finish and some hints of strawberries. Overall, an elegant mature Bordeaux in a good spot, not exceptional but very good.
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More backward and structured than the 1995, which has sweeter tannin. This vintage is denser, packed full of black fruits, iron, beef blood, black licorice with a terrific nose and rather austere abrupt finish. Needs at least 1-2 hour decant to start to open up. This is just now coming into its early maturity drinking window, but can easily age for another 20 years. This has been stored in a cold cellar since release, so it has been on a slow evolutionary track.
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Youthful clean color, still dense and a tannic. Opened after an hour or so and showed some complexity - bell pepper (at first), smoke, cedar, underlying fruit, great finish. No rush, taste again in 2021 or so.
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50th birthday, albeit mid-week semi-celebration. Beautiful wine. Very resolved, pretty. Medium bodied, given the fact that it is St. Estephe one can almost call this light bodied. Smoke, cedar wood, dark berries, a little spice. Here's to another 50. Life is good.
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At restaurant with about a 1 hour decant. As it was really getting going just at the end, 2 hours would have been better. Lots of greenness, spice and earth on the complex nose. Great on the palate but a little flat at first. Took time to open up. Lively acidity when it did. Silky texture and resolved tannin. No rush.
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Similar to prior note; had at The Winemakers Table with Andy & continued to improve throughout the meal, slightly outmatched by the 96 Pichon Lalande, drink or hold
Drank alongside GPL 96. Some maturity in colour. Complex nose great weave. Power on palate but wrapped round with maturing fruit. A lovely weave of fruit and mineral. Just shaded the GPL on the night.
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Needed a couple of hours in a decanter. Then showing classic Cos flavors of dark berries, dark earth and tar with a wonderful lifted texture. This bottle was in fine shape and the wine seems in mid-age but certainly can be enjoyed now with a long decant but there is more complexity to come on the finish. 94+
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Tasted blind. Powerful, loads of black fruit, cedar, herbs de Provence. Fine powdery tannins, great length. Open for business but has years ahead. Consistently good.
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Vinetasters: 1996 Bordeaux (Skokie, IL): Served double blind in a flight of 1996 Bordeaux. This has a lovely nose, with some notes of pencil shavings and sweet plums. The palate is nicely resolved, if not the most complex. A good amount of red fruit, a touch of earth, and tannins that are ready to go. My 5th, group's 1st.
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The nose is already developed, as you find smoke, tobacco, cigar wrapper, cassis and a touch of green. But it's easy to move past the green notes, as there is so much to like about this wine. Full bodied, concentrated, and loaded with Asian spice, red fruits and wet earth. This is showing most of what it has today, but it could get better from here.
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Drank at Seven, Grsnd Cayman. Decanted about an hour and drank over the following 2 hours. Continued to blossom until it was gone. Might be worth a slightly higher rating with more time in the decanter, but it was what it was. Paired great with a Waguu tenderloin.
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Such a great wine. Similar notes to others below and typical aromas from a great Cos. I decanted two hours prior to drinking and then placed back into bottle. Will certainly hunt down more of this wonderful wine.
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Decanted for an hour then back in the cleaned bottle, deep ruby with no brick (looks younger), classic nose of red & dark fruit with tobacco & leather, black cherry on the palate, mod. tannins, long finish; Delicious & ready to drink, but no rush
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French 1996 Vintage Dinner for a Twenty-First Birthday Celebration (Nopa, San Francisco): Opened 2 hours prior to tasting. Primary deep ruby. Some cedar but even more bell pepper and herbal aromas. Medium weight, quite chocolatey feel. As the nose suggested, somewhat tart and herbaceous, tight to begin with, but this loosened and sweetened considerably in the glass although I never got a sense of fruit breaking through the structure. Ultimately, very good with some room for continued improvement, but I fear that this will always have too much green and never be completely balanced.
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Excellent. Opened and let sit without decant for 2 hours. Very sinewy with lots of leather and pipe tobacco smoke and herbs. I should have decanted as there was a good deal of sediment. I believe it will continue to evolve. (92- 95).
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Lovely showing with the Xmas beef wellington. Expressive and mature, in a really nice place with some currant and plum fruit but loads of secondary forest, tobacco and leather notes. Tannins are soft and resolvd, but there is still some currant acidity to balance the sweetness. Long, tasty, savoury finish. Really fine wine.
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Ruby edge, deep red core. Some decent red fruit, leather and tobacco with a slight layer of brett underneath. Aromatically this is nice but not stunning. On the palate this is quite wonderful. Texturally a bit thin but not in a bad way. It’s light on it feet but delivers a nice hit of tart red fruit and earth. Tannins are well integrated at this point so we are probably nearing the top of the bell curve here.
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Drinking well right now, fully mature. 2 hr decant did it some good, opened it up. Very lean, nice mid palate acidity and some cherry, plum and blackberry notes. For those that are sensitive to it there is some Brett on this wine which we don’t find that appealing but it was mild enough not to affect the experience. Good wine with a good Italian dinner at Carmine’s.
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1-hour decant; Epicure at LeBristol, medium-plus body, lovely leather, spice (sage?), raspberry/boysenberry bouquet. Pure mid-palate with more raspberry, plum and light spice. Overall impression was limited by a modest finish and few secondary notes. Also interesting that this bottle faded rather fast - before the end of dinner.
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(at 67 Pall Mall – London) Wow – this wine rocked. Loaded with just maturing Saint Estephe goodness. Incredible fruit purity that was nicely ripe and less sauvage than some past bottles. Will last for ages on balance but why not enjoy this velvety beauty now? One of the better 1996’s I have tasted. (95)
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One can't emphasize enough how important storage conditions are when accessing older wines as is the importance of preparation for any wine to show its best. I bought this wine en-primeur cant remember exactly what I paid for it but the initial outlay seems laughable when you consider todays cost. The 1996 Cos d' Estournel is firmly in its drinking window, still fresh with lots of energy, a slight dry finish but with an abundance of ripe fruit wafting from glass, some acidity still present with wonderful overall balance and a modest 13 percent alcohol......... Great St. Estephe terroir.
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Late Night Drinks and Beef at Ming's (M+M. Robin Road): Late night bottle at Euming's. Classic and lovely, this was firing on all cylinders after just a bit of time in the glass. The nose was a rich tapestry of ripe cassis and plums woven together with wafts of earthy tobacco, capsicum and graphite. Really masculine and attractive. The palate was nicely resolved, with velvety tannins and beautifully integrated acidity forming a gently noble backdrop to a lovely pure expression of sweet cassis, spice and tobacco flavours, all this trailing away into a long mineral and graphite finish. A beautiful Bordeaux, drinking wonderfully now.
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Amazingly floral and fruity in the nose; elegant, juicy, and smooth on the palate packed with loads of berries and cherries in almost perfect complexity; long finish; overall, 95-96 points at this stage; a truly beautiful and wonderful wine that had evolved so nicely.
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A great BDX that is a little more modern in style but with still with old world structure and energy. I really love this wine and would love to spend to drink it as one of only a couple other blts at the table with a strip. I can really see this improving still as it continues to add btl age. 93+ tonight. I need to own one or two of these myself.
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Lonny Might Be Turning Sixty (Tilia, Mpls): Very dark purple red color. Decanted for an hour plus, drank a 1.75 oz pour over 40 minutes. I've always loved the '96 Cos, and this bottle reminded me why. A wow nose, powerful and aromatic, gorgeous black fruits, cassis, creme de cassis, boysenberry, scorched earth, tar, floral, leather. Deep and layered, great concentration and presence; long finish. Fantastic bottle. 95+pts.
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3rd wine of a '96 dream tasting in Bourdeaux with our group. Done 2 separate times over 2 separate weeks. 1st week-Moderate garnet/bricking, earthy nose with some sweet note to it. Entry of rose petal, red fruit with a camphor/eucalyptus component. More fruit than the first 2 wines in the group. A generally rounder, smoother wine too. Increased tannins, light spice and a nice finish. 2nd week-better bottle with an even better acidic backbone and a more lengthy memorable finish to it. Yum!
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Tasted out of Magnum. Wine is peaking perfectly well now. A rich, velvety, creamy and smooth Cos. Shows marvelous display of roasted coffee beans, vanilla, ripe black fruit and clay. All in harmony. Still needed 30 to 45 minutes to come together. Preferred over a great 2000 Pichon Lalande.
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deep garnet with a brick edge - wonderful rich nose of black current and cassis with elements of leather, lead pencil and vanilla - full rich mouth with excellent acid-tannin-alcohol balance - I would rate this at its peak now, but with all the potential to go another 10-15 years - was great with a grilled skirt steak
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Although nudging towards full maturity this does seem to have closed a little from 18 months ago. Possessing a deep nose of dark fruits and tobacco, the tannin is steely on the palate. There is good depth and a medium finish. Drinking well, but behind other left bank 1996's in its evolvement, I think the tannin will soften in the near future and the wine will continue to improve. 2 or 3 hours in the decanter at this stage is recommended.
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Delicious. Lots of tobacco, leather, dark fruit. Smokey. More about power than pretty. Tannins are resolved and this is ready to drink, but I think it will continue to improve. Long long bitter finish, I lose count before it ends. Really classic brawny Bordeaux.
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Cos really shined with solid length, mouthfeel and complexity on the palate. Also really illustrated the texture on the palate difference from the Hourglass... that elevated the Cos mouthfeel, length and overall presence of the wine. 96s seem to be finally finding their place.
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Paired with Rack of Lamb with lentils - Southern France. They were great together. This wine was decanted 2 hours before being served. It is a big wine that is just starting to strut its stuff and has many good years ahead. It was an intense wine - great depth, cedar, mocha, and rich dark fruit. It exhibited a nice (but in no way overpowering) Bordeaux-style sweetness on the palate, and all was in balance. The nose was somewhat muted but in a couple of years it will soar.....or after an earlier decant. A lovely wine that I look forward to enjoying again...with a rich, warm meal in January or February.
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A beauty, a mature delicious Cos, silky, elegant, excellent, one of the wines of the night and drank with 90 Sassicaia, 99 & 97 Rayas, 03 Ducru Beaucaillou 94
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Exquisite. This is one of the best wines I have ever had. Heady combination of black pepper, cigar leaf, wet loam and a hint of bing cherry. This is red/violet all the way to the edge of the glass and likely to continue to drink well into the 2030's or 2040's. Opened for an hour, no decant. Would decant next time as there was a lot of sediment.
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Bordeaux Second Growths Lunch (Capital Grille NY): For me this was WOTN. Must be in it's prime because all of the elements were singing. Loads of pencil lead and wild blackberries, this filled the mouth with waves of fine tannins. Very fresh. I guessed mid-nineties Pauillac and believe this is a great example of Cos carrying elements of the neighboring terrior
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Decanted for an hour, medium red showing some age, beautiful mature nose, tea leaves, pauillac graphite and tar and still a good dose of cab, very proper very classical, delicious and perfect with the grilled rib eye, truly magnificent! 94
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Classic old Bordeaux nose of graphite, dark berries, black earth and Asian spices with a bit of brine. A great bottle of this wine which has the opulent, oily texture of aged Bordeaux within a structured frame along with delicious flavors of graphite minerals and dark spicy muted fruits. Finishes with a crisp dusty density and very finely silted complexity. An older style of Bordeaux without the modern day polish and I love it! Best after a 1 hour decant and then held well.
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Big and powerful. took a while to open up, with heavy bias on smoky flavours for a while. fruit came through with time in the glass. lots of cedar, leather, blackcurrant on the palate. should have a long life ahead
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I did not let this breath long enough. This was too early to open or you need a long decant. Showing very similar to the 1995 Montrose served with the same course.
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Fine perfume, cherry, orange peel, earth (dirt). A hint of something deeper, more animal. Blackberry on the palette. Low acidity. Drank this a bit cold. A bit short.
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Allowed to breathe in bottle and in glass 60 minutes before tasting. Needed more decanting than that. Clear deep dark garnet color. Classic bouquet of red currants, creme de cassis, cigar tobacco, pencil shavings, river stones, hints of old saddle leather. Similar on the palate, beautiful balance and structure, full body. Improved steadily with air. Firm but polished tannins give an astringent finish, suggesting that this wine's best days lie a few years ahead. Enjoyable now with at least a one hour decant. Try again in 2018.
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certainly fully mature and offering some pleasure. Initially with an open and enticing bouquet, rather losing it's way on the palate, a touch soupy and lacking focus. possibly less than perfect condition.
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Very expressive with sweet red fruit, truffle, tobacco, cedar wood, and red currant. Palate has sweet red fruit and blue fruit. Drinking nicely with an hour decant but not a very complex wine.
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The wine is drinking well right now, maybe a little too drying on the taste , nose with some barnyard going on , we all liked this wine , but it is likely on the other side of the hill . Breed apart , for sure .
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Actually, a bit tight after decanting for an hour. Over the course of two hours of pouring ( this wine and three other reds- 1981 Corton, 2006 Louis Jadot Clos St Denis, and 2015 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Treinta y Dos), the Cos shined. Classic in structure and style, the cassis, blackberry, cedar, coffee, pepper, leather, and lead pencil make this a great wine with beef and a wine whose character evolves while drinking. Gets better and better in the glass and insinuates its character into your senses.
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My hands down WOTN and dam, wish I owned some of these! This is in a very nice spot with zero signs of slowing down. There is still some upside here. Do I play roulette and buy some now? Tempted. This had a terrific tobacco leaf nose, perfect balance and weight with a cornucopia of flavors. An excellent wine! Thanks Kevin! See R&Rlers note for more details.
Monthly Wine Group: Bordeaux 2005 and Older (Lela, Bloomington MN): Very dark red/purple color. Slow-O for 3 hours, then decanted for 2 hours. Drank 1+ glass over 2 hours plus. Pretty much everything I want in my Bordeaux. Great nose with leather, florals, pencil lead, cassis, red berries, and suggestions of cigar. The palate has depth and energy with a lithe lightness and suave sophistication. Leather, pencil, floral, cassis, deep, and medium plus bodied with fine tannins and a very persistent finish. Loved it, my WOTN. This is in a wonderful spot with several decades of life ahead. This is certainly a wine that could show spectacularly at 40 to 50 years when well stored - i hope to have that opportunity. 95(+)pts.
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Nose: Blackberry, Black Cherry, Sweet Tobacco, Graphite, Earth and a bit of Leather. Palate: Exceptionally precise on the palate delivering gorgeous blackberry / black cherry fruit, and then layers of Pauillac like graphite and tobacco notes. Such nice minerality and brighness to this wine, that still shows muddy cos earth and spice notes. Finish: Really nice finish that shows an array of flavors and maintains a nice dose of fruit, oak and spice.
This remains one of my favorite wines from Cos, and ultimately I may be underrating this. Every bit as good as a bottle we had at the chateau 2-years ago.
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What a wonderful wine. While I agree with the other reviewer that the wine is still a bit tight. The bouquet is overwhelmingly fragrant. I also feel that the style is almost paulliac like. Overall its a beautiful and wine of a greath depth and flavors with mant years ahead in its life
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2013 Grand Cru Horizontal tasting (Prince Wine Store, Bank Street, Melbourne): Blackcurrant, bramble tending to cassis with time. Autumnal, slightly briny with crushed rock. Leather. Spice. Juicy, savoury, tight and chewy though the wine shows tertiary characteristics. Quite thick and tight but quite nice. Time required: Still a bit 'not ready' for me.
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Masculine nose of dark fruits, classic dark funky Cos earth and black slate. Quite tight with a fine density and deep flavors of smoky black fruits and lots of slate and silty minerals. The finish is long with more slate and black earth but this particular bottle is somewhat closed and not showing much complexity on the finish. A great wine underneath but I couldn't quite access it tonight. Double-decanted for 3 hours. 91+
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Six hour decant. Like many of the '96s, finding this a bit reticent. Tannins are still drying. Initial impression of dusty parlor room, old tobacco. Some fine herbaceousness in the mid palate and finish. But finding it all a bit out of kilter. Would wait to see where this keeps going in a few years.
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On opening it's a nice bordeaux you like to drink with pleasure. Smooth and full bodied. After some air it becomes a beautie, pencil chavings, much rooms, kirsch and cream de cassis. Very secundairy with notes of tertiary elements. Can still go for quit some time, but is really nice to start a new year. Great length to, there is nothing not to like about this wine, this is why we love this stuff, classic bordeaux. Will think twice what to do with my other bottles, keep or drink, have time to think about it with another glass. If you find any at a good price point don't think twice and buy.
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Heli Ski Wines; 12/27/2016-12/30/2016 (Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, Bella Coola, BC): [Magnum] Reading young but indicative of St. Estephe and Cos on the nose with red cedar, damp farm soil, and rustic earthy spice. A wallop of lacquered black cherry and currant fruit too. Palate is dense, rich, and powerful. A big bottle opened too young for sure, but delicious and fun. Both fruit and structure are in place for this to deliver pleasure a decade and more from now. Underripe blueberry. Big tannin.
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peaked an hour after opening (no decant). Mushroom and earth nose. Razor precision, complex typical leather and tobacco flavors. Great with lamb. Perhaps a bit light for my steak, since there wasn't a ton of fruit.
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Decanted an hour, tasted over the next 3 hours. Very nice and definitely drinkable now, however general census of group was wine needs maybe five to ten years to hit sweet spot. Beautiful nose and more fruit than I recall from a tasting two years ago.
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1996 Bordeaux Blind: Excellent nose with black currant, juicy red fruit, damp earth, green tobacco leaf, cassis, somewhat rustic but very powerful. More rustic with more air. Great nose. Very tannic palate but with sufficient fruit juice underneath.
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Slightly translucent dark cherry color with a slightly bloodied brown hue. Rich, dry and savory bouquet with huge complexity - the aromas seem to live constantly. Most pronounced are the aromas of roasted bell pepper and smoked chipotle with a good base of wizened blackcurrant underneath. Behind these notes are nuances of dusty cedar, earth, some tobacco, a little cured meat and a hint of pungent smokiness. The palate is medium-to-full-bodied with good grip and silky texture. Layered, developed flavors of plums, ripe blackcurrants, tobacco, understated sweet chocolate notes, some pepper-driven spice, a little leafy vegetal character, a hint of cedar and a touch of blackcurrant jam. The structure is remarkable with moderately high acidity and ample and firm, but also very ripe and smooth tannins. The juicy midpalate transitions into long and ripe but more dry and savory finish with persistent, textural flavors of ripe blackcurrant-friven fruit, peppery spice, some capsicum notes, a little smoke and a hint of leafy character. There also lingers a sweeter undercurrent of plum compote.
In our small 5-wine horizontal of Left Bank 1996-ers, Cos d'Estournes 1996 was quality-wise a few good paces ahead of its peers (Lynch-Bages, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Leoville-Barton and Gruaud-Larose) with simply astounding complexity, depth and poise. The wine offers a huge, complex array of mature aromas and flavors that still pack incredible power, making the wine appear both aged yet surprisingly youthful. The structure is fully resolved and the wine is a pure treat right on its own - it still sports good structure to go with food as well, but I wouldn't pair it with anything too heavy, because the tannins don't pack real bite anymore. I can imagine that the wine is peaking right now - it might gain some further mature notes as it ages, but to me, its current combination of aged complexity and still some sense of youthful fruit is simply gorgeous. However, I don't see the youthful fruit fading anytime soon, so probably the wine will keep good at least 10 years more.
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This reminds me of the '88 in texture and '04 during the finish. Very secondary, with leather, kircsh, pipe tobacco, black tea and scorched earth. A velvety undertone and a succinct entry. Not the opulent goddess that the '03 is, but still a harrowing bottle from the '96 vintage. We had this with the '03 at Willi's in Sonoma County. Drink now - 2032.
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Opened and consumed over the course of four hours. This only needed twenty minutes to open up in the glass. Was singing 90 minutes in, and continued to improve. It wasn't an error to start drinking it when we poured it, but it wouldn't have been a mistake to wait 90 minutes, either. Noteworthy palate density for a Bordeaux. Overall impression of classic St. Estephe flavor and aromatics. There was enough of the northern Medoc greenness that I would say "Classic Cos" if I didn't feel goofy saying it. Tannins in this bottle were well-resolved. This is ready to drink today and a real treat. Satisfied the nose and the palate.
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Beautiful silky nose, on the palate black currant, pepper, fragrant cedar (as oppose to St Julien type of woody cedar), smooth and velvety mouthfeel, a stunningly well structured claret which is still a tad young but will develop into an extraordinary classic Cos. A very strong showing, will be very rewarding in the years to come.
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CAB Bordeaux AOCs (Pat's): Tasted blind. Bricking. Wow! Nose explodes with waxy flower, clove, orange peel. Medium body, but bigger than expected. Very dry. Menthol rising on the finish. This was gorgeous.
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1st of a pair of bottles bought in the late 90s and in immaculate condition. Big blackcurrant nose at first, then giving way to cedar and bell pepper. The fruit is remarkably sweet and counteracts that slight bell pepper green and the still plentiful tannins which give the impression of leanness. Overall hugely enjoyable, soft fruit, complex flavours, balanced and long. Needs a good steak. No reason to keep this longer.
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Decanted mid meal which was a mistake. Wine looks young and classic Bdx profile on nose. This is a very dry wine and initially not all that giving. It never really gave a lot of fruit, but more classic, green/herbal Bdx flavors that I enjoy. I would all it a contemplative wine....and giving only moderate pleasure. 91-92
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In the bouquet dark forest fruits, luxurious perfectly integrated oak, cedar and some lovely rustic flavors. On the palate beautiful and harmonious and somewhat extracted juice (in a positive way). Beautiful acidity and round and friendly tannin with a beautiful bite. The wine is beautifully mature and harmonious and I think that this is the reason most people around the table were really delighted, even after Mouton and Ducru B.. On the other hand; no hurry; will last another 7+ years as well.
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Small forest berries, licorice, anise; less elegant, more earthy-spicy pungent than Margaux with strong cigar leaf and granite; good structure, medium and slight gravelly tannins; the nose is haunting, body a bit thinner and brighter than the '95 Lynch. Love the nose in the Cos. Bright tangy finish a la '96, which many did not like.
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Decanted through vinturi and drank over a period of 3 hours. At first the nose and taste were dominated by roasted red peppers, which was not unpleasant, with an underlying fruit and still vigorous tannin. The finish was slow and grew like a vibrating bell. Then the fruit faded, and with food, the wine felt thin and acidic, and was dismissed by my wife as of no interest. After three hours, it was a bit smoother, but still unfocused, trite, and brash, without balance.
I wanted very much to like this wine, like I liked other Cos, and looked for excuses ("it's a beast but perhaps if I love it more and truly, it will turn into something beautiful"). But it's been stored impeccably, given time to open up, etc, so there's no excuse for such a poor showing. Could it be a closed phase? I don't think so because it was not tight, just unfocused and trite. I still have 8 bottles and I can dream of a turnaround or assume it was a "bad" bottle, but I'm not optimistic.
Brought by Jess to our place for C's birthday. Poured through Vinturi into decanter. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of bell peppers, cedar, chocolate, earth, graphite, black fruit, slight spice and some brett emerges with more air. Developing. On the palate, dry, juicy high acidity, medium alcohol (13%), smooth velvety medium tannins, full body. Medium+ intensity, with flavours of blackcurrant, blackberry, bell pepper, cedar, graphite, leather, minty spice, slight earth. Chocolate emerging. Long finish. Very good quality. Excellent mouthfeel. Nose waned about 30mins in. Palate feels rather tight and good potential for the future. Best to try again in 5 years. Yes the green bell peppers do decrease with increased air time. Sweet savoury chocolatey finish at the 2.5 hour mark.
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Regular dinner group (@ EM): Beautiful mature and luxurious bouquet with dark forest fruits and cedar. On the palate dark forest fruits, beautifully integrated oak, graphite and other minerals, firm and good acidity and round, still youthful tannin. This is a beautiful luxurious and harmonious wine with still a good future. 94 - 95
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Tannine nach öffnen noch sehr präsent. Ab 2 Std. Belüftung deutlich offener. Gut aber war nicht umwerfend genug für das Preisniveau. War aus kühlem Keller, braucht dann wohl noch deutlich mehr Flaschenreife. Die oft genannten leicht grünen Noten vor allem am zweiten Tag wahrnehmbar
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Either I haven't had a good Bordeaux in a while or this bottle was wonderful. Seems totally ready for business, with merlot coming through perfectly, and I will just up the recent scores by another point.
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"Smells like purple" - a friend and I both simultaneously said when we took our first whiff. Lovely stuff, well-integrated tannins, graphite, cedar, cigar box and well-worn leather. A good match to the 160 day dry aged ribeye.
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Had been looking forward to drink this, and it didn't dissapoint! Decanted for two hours. A very good wine. Some tannins left, absolutely, but the wine drinks very well now with some air. Will be good also the next ten years.
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No Fools Today (Minneapolis): A little bit thin and green up front. 20 minutes later much better with walnuts, floral, red fruits and earth. Medium finish.
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Great wine drinking at it's peak. We had it with a steak off the grill and it was perfect. The balance was right on with the fruit a perfect balance to the round but noticeable tannins.
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Allowed 6 hours of bottle breathing on the first day, which is clearly not enough. A closed and tight Bdx. While tannin is tamed and delicious, there is just slightest faint of fruit. Finished 2/3 bottle on the second evening and it turns into a much more balanced and elegant Bdx CS. Good++ overall.
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This bottle was more foreword than the last one and in a great drinking place. Cherry oak tar leather. Beautiful nose of red fruits and intergrated oak acidity in the background kept it all in focus. Seemed to fade after a few hours in the glass though.
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As with the last bottle of this vintage I opened, there was a distinctive corky note to the aroma of the wine when opened. I tasted it after about 10 minutes and it was definitely tasting like a flawed bottle.
My last notes said that after 2 hours this bit of nastiness faded. Let's hope that happens this time...
So after about 2 hours the corkiness faded, but was still slightly perceptible. With food the corkiness was completely gone, at least to my palate.
The night was a bit of a mess as I managed to burn dinner, so maybe the corked wine goes with crappy food. Happy Valentines day baby! So sorry...
The next time I open one of these I will decant for at least 3 hours. I think if the bottle was flawed, the flaw would not fade, so maybe this is just a funky characteristic of the wine that does not agree with my tastebuds.
I'll have to invite one of my more educated wine friends over for the next bottle.
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Beautiful and classical bouquet with cassis and other dark forest fruits, cedar, cigar box and beautifully dosed oak which is perfectly integrated in the wine. All impressions come back on the palate, beautiful acidity and round tannin with still a pleasant bite. Overall a really very beautiful and complex and mature wine which still has plenty of bite for the future. Until 2020+ should not be a problem. Have a few, so there will be follow ups.
Cos d'Estournel Vertical with Aymeric de Gironde (Ripple Restaurant in DC): Our bottle felt disjointed, bright acidity and noticeable tannins but lacking fruit. Red fruit driven nose, green pepper and strong lead pencil. Medium concentration, shy fruit, bright acidity, noticeable tannins and medium finish. Need to try another bottle soon.
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15 Vintages of Cos d'Estournel (Ripple - Washington, DC): This wine shows a unique brightness, and I get some red fruit on the nose as well as roses, tobacco, roasted red pepper. Full but silky tannins, bright acid, the black currant fruit is mixed in with some red currants, juicy and delicious all around. Complex elements of roasted pepper, white pepper, mossy soil, wet leaves, bay leaf, oregano, wow, the complexity and length of flavors is stunning. So long and nuanced. Pure bliss of a wine, showing tremendously well but plenty of time left to go.
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I bought this in France in 2002 and lugged it around for 14 years. It was great; I think it's probably peaked but will be good for another 10 years or so. Had a backbone but was not as backward or tannic as other 96s I've tried. I would even call it elegant. It's out of the primary phase and the fruit has a savory quality.
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Open for 2 hours now, the nose is discreet, with nice red fruit, some green pepper, pencil. Blind tasted for all the rest of us, they all said "Puillac" and for a good reason. Mid-full bodied, lots of acidity here, with nice red cherry and balance. Overall very impressive, drinkable and probably still improving. Drink now-2020+, 94+.
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This bottle was just a tag lighter in complexity and structure than the previous on. Nonetheless, the 96 Cos seems to be at a sweet spot right now. Richness in the aromatics and taste are undeniably fantastic, loaded with dark red fruit, mineral, bell pepper, coffee, earth, spice and herbal leaves notes. The "green" element does seem a bit stronger than last time, but the 90s seem to possess quite some of this, and its not intrusive and adding a degree of distinction. Excellent balance, with refreshing acidity and softened tannins. Very good stuff
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Decanted for two hours. Fruit came out after about an hour, but still lots of wood. Probably a little too much. However, nicely aged Bordeaux; drinking well now. Didn't blow me away. Was maybe expecting (hoping) for a bit more.
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Decanter Masterclass 8 November 2015, with Dimitri Augenblick. Deep robe. Smokey, seductive and inky nose. Less powerful than 1986. Dark berries, spices and pepper. A very alluring wine and drinking superbly now.
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Dark garnet / ruby with no sediment, this wine is mature. The wood is really prominent here, masking and overwhelming the once-lovely fruit. Cherry and cassis nose. I have no idea where this is headed with future cellaring but it would be divine if the wood takes a back seat.
If a date, I would ask for the check after the appetizer and excuse myself for the evening
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Probably the best of the half case or so that I've had in the recent past. Pencil, black currant and a touch of sandalwood, lovely breadth across the palate with real presence and depth. On this showing, worth keeping for a bit but other bottles have suggested otherwise.
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Polished leather, tar, cassis and cedar. There is some barnyard brett as well. In the mouth the fruit is glossy and it has a modern feel. There's still plenty of grip to the finish.
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HDH auction tasting at Tru; 9/18/2015-9/19/2015: Hah, there's a little bit of Molly on the nose (and I don't mean the Dooker). Yeah, this is definitely a bit skunky and herbal. I was pretty surprised when i stuck my nose in the glass. But this ain't bad at all. The palate does come off as a little bit austere, with some woolliness and coarse tannins. There's a slight bit of sweet fruit, but this is mostly a herbal and backwards bottle of cabernet. I don't think there's any rush to drink this now, but it isn't unapproachable either.
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unbelivable lively palete despite almost 18 yrs in the bottle.good primary character blend with tertiary.showing nice concentration fruits.reckon stil hve room to improve.very well drinking nw.1 of the best bordeaux i hve sip so far
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Tim's Housewarming (Bishan): Tasted blind. Poured into decanter and drank over 2+ hours. Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs. Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of herbaceousness, green bell peppers, cedar, blackberry, slight spice. Developing. On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, fine high tannins, full body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of green bell peppers, cedar, blackberries, leather, chalky minerality, slight spice. In the first 1 hour, this was quite closed and actually felt rather green and bland. It only started to open up and put on weight and amazingly developed flavour with more air in the 2nd hour. Medium+ finish. Good quality. Classic Left Bank Bordeaux. Will improve with age. I am personally not a fan of the herbaeousness and green bell peppers though.
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Perfect levels and healthy cork. Very dark color. Beautiful nose from the first pour, but quite restrained taste. After about 30 minutes in the glass it started to shine displaying dark fruits. Complex, elegant and classic. After about an hour more earthy, leather and tobacco notes emerged. Perfectly mature now, but with a structure that will allow for another 5-10 years of peak time (depending on the bottle of course). Great bottle for my birthday ��
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very classic bordeaux. the fruit is now receding so the tertiary flavors are starting to dominate. I think it has peaked but is still good at this point. dont wait too long unless you really like old wine flavors....
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2nd of 13, decanted an hour, perfect level and cork, previous bottle drunk in 2011 fine on potential but hard work as not ready - deepish garnet, still some purple notes on rim; classy bouquet blackcurrant and bramble with a whiff of cedar, hot black chocolate and sous bois, more Cos than St Estephe; fullish, very long, persistent, classy, grippy, silky fruit, acidity and balance makes it quite refreshing, not a bit over-extracted, just about ready. Very fine (18.5/20).
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Great wine. Cedar, blackberries on the nose. Decanted for an hour. Once all the components completely mesh together this will be really fantastic. Plenty of everything here. Give it another 2 to 3 years
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Decant s for 3hrs. Very powerful nose of crushed blackberries and carmel. The acidity is very balanced and tannins are strong. The taste has strong cacao and hazelnut. The free fruit of Strawberry is very evident of Cos. There is also allot of mineral essence from its Terroir. This is great wine and only going to improve.
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Decanted from a magnum. Closed and tight. Clearly this wine is loaded with fruit, balanced acidity, and fine tannins, but there is some bitterness and submerged flavors. It just isn't ready to drink from a magnum. Needs a minimum of five years and more likely eight to 10.
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Right up there with my favorite Cos vintages. Decant for at least 30 minutes. Will last another 10 years with ease. There is no California version of St. Estephe.
After a 1 hr. decant there is an awesome nose of grilled nuts, tar pit and Bordeaux gravel. Just clean and grippy on the palate with wonderful flavors of black cassis, smoky dark earth and gravel minerals and lots of good acidity and lift. This has aged in the best way of the '96's which is still lean but so classy and elegant with real terroir St. Estephe flavors. The finish is refined and complex with firm and slightly rustic tannins (the old style of Cos which is not necessarily a bad thing) and lots of dark spice and minerals. Probably 3-4 yrs. from peak but this is classy, chiseled juice which is my kind of style.
Bordeaux Left Bank (semi blind) (Amsterdam Wijn Antiquariaat): Elegant and stylish wine. Iron and dark fruit in the nose. Complex and smooth on the powerful palate with herbs, ripe red fruit, Round and smooth tannins and some acidity in the end with mineral and iron notes. No hurry to drink, this should easily last another 15 years. 94 points for now.
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Consumed at Bashan courtesy of JM. First impression was sweet oak, very smooth. Very much reminds me of the Togni I recently had, except this is smoother and more elegant. Opened up during the meal. Tasty and masculine wine. I enjoyed it!
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A Decadent Night of 1990's Napa Cabs and Bordeaux (Chez Dalluge, MN): Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 2 hours.; drank 1 glass over 3 hours plus. This was probably my WOTN in some very, very stiff competition. The nose kills; toasty, intense, cassis, creme de cassis, espresso, earthy, wood spices, wow, it just keeps giving. The palate follows suit with a balance that is truly deft, gorgeous fruits that are layered and oh so pure, cassis, creme de cassis, blueberry, spice, wood spice, pencil lead, coffee, and a ripe long finish. This was so ripe and integrated for a relatively young Cos, incredible. Drinking great, no reason to wait; no reason to hurry - this will satisfy for 2 decades. 95+ to 96 pts.
Underbar doft av mogen Bordeaux. Sötmogen frukt, stall, läder, blyerts, stenig mineralitet och tobak. Otroligt balanserat och elegant trots sin kraft och fyllighet. Jag älskar verkligen bra Bordeaux!!!
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Gravel, flinty nose, slightly herbaceous nose. Fading fruit. Tightly knit on the palate with very fine tannins. Sweetness about it, opened up more after about an hour. Leather, chocolate, cedar. Flint. Very pleasant finish. Overall an enjoyable bottle.
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Nice dark rubis colour that doesn’t have any orange or brown tints. Upon opening, blackcurrant, dried fall leaves, cedar, chocolat and mint - and cork! I cry for a moment… (just kidding, but I've held on to this bottle for 16 years... lots of hope dashed...) Too bad, as behind the omnipresent aroma of cork which is also detectable on the palate, there seems to be a wine with a good structure, nice aromas and a good length. I can imagine what it is like without the omnipresent cork. I hope my second and last bottle will be good!
Belle robe rubis noir sans reflets orangés. À l’ouverture, nez de cassis, humus, cèdre, chocolat, menthe - et de bouchon! Je pleure un instant… (je rigole, mais ça fait 16 ans que je garde cette bouteille et c'est bien...) Dommage, car derrière l’arôme de bouchon qui est aussi présent en bouche, on y retrouve un vin avec une bonne structure, de beaux arômes et une bonne longueur. Je peux l’imaginer sans le bouchon et il doit être bon… J’espère que ma deuxième et dernière bouteille sera bonne!
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Bordeaux & San Sebastian Trip; 3/6/2015-3/13/2015: Nose: wow! Red berries, cherry, blackbery, leather, classic cos spice and gravel. Palate: silky and integrated. Cherry liquor, black berries, baking spice, leather and cassis. Stony minerals round it out with berry pie notes. Finish: Cherry, black berry, spice and tobacco. Great mature cos in every way classically floating on the pauillac/st estephe line.
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deep garnet. Nose of aged Bordeaux, black fruits hinted at, licorice, and seasoned salt. Taste was licorice, seasoned salt and bitter chocolate on the finish. Best now.
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brilliant as always. Perfect condition now after 1 hr decant. Fresh with a herbaceous edge that thickens and moves towards darker fruit with more air. Peaked around 3 hours. Brilliant
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Strong dark color. Fine nose of black currants, tobacco and graphite minerals. A classic '96 that is structured, a bit thin in the middle, very finely etched and fabulous on the finish. Lots of tobacco and minerals along with black fruits and Asian spices lead to a firm and complex finish. This is still young but it's refined, classic Saint-Estephe. An hour later and it got better and better and really began to show the terroir with great black soil, charcoal and spice flavors along with carbon minerals. Great wine and will only improve. 93+
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Initially earthy blackberry with strong tannins; lightened over time; decent texture; paired with pan seared chicken with banana peppers on top (surely a paring issue).
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Decanted for about an hour. Darker garnet color. Nose of cassis, black currant, leather, plum, earth, and a bit of lit match. Lovely initial attack on the palate of rich dark currant, roasted red pepper, beef blood, and tobacco leaf. A bit hollow in the mid palate at first but as the evening progressed the original flavors persisted and filled in nicely. Lower acidity and smoothed off tannins leading to a very long finish of dark plum fruit and sweet grip. An elegant, integrated wine at present, full of pleasure and nuance.
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What a great wine. Took a two+ hour decant to really find it's sweet spot. Gobs of cherry on the front end and more tobacco on the back end. This wine is finding a good place but easily has a drinking window of 10+ years. This wine tasted much younger than what it was.
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This bottle was bought at auction a month ago. It was slow to develop with the first pour, but came to life nicely after an hour sitting in the bottle and some time in the glass. After opening, the nose was very nice with dried wood and courant flavor. It was a superb wine to enjoy with our Christmas dinner of classic Rib Roast, Yorkshire Pudding, mashed potatoes and green beans. The fruit was still showing nicely with good balance.
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Close, but didn't show quite as well as the '95 brought out alongside it. Some tannin resolution still need for this bottle. Still a wondrous St. Estephe experience, though, as every '96 I ever had the pleasure of imbibing turned out to be.
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Dinner at Park Palace with the IT guys (Park Palace): As good as the last bottle I had during a Cos wine-dinner. In fact, this showed younger and will definitely continue to hold (strongly) with more bottle age.
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Nice, if somewhat unspectacular. A bit more oak than I'd have expected given its age. Tobacco emerges with time, along with blue and red fruits. Good but not really great.
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What a difference this was compared to the previous bottle I tasted. This delicious St. Estephe produced from a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot offers truffle, tobacco, wood, cassis, forest floor, Asian spice and blackberry with hints of mocha in the aromatics. Powerful, full bodied, round and classy, the wine is starting to enter maturity, ending in a long, spicy, black cherry and earthy finish. It's drinking great today, but in a few more years, it's going to be even better.
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the initial attack on the mid palate hits you with a fistful of red cherry fruit but then it drops off and there's a drying cigar flavor on the finish that turns a bit green and shrill.
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Ruby red color. On opening, an expressive nose of red fruit and spice emerged. Earthy notes then emerged over the next few hours. A little light on the attack, but more forward on the midpalate. Medium finish. Tannins were well-integrated. A pleasurable wine. This is going to get better; it is not at its peak.
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EWS -- Wild game and wilder wines dinner: The nose had a hint of a green bell pepper, slightly astringent. Not enough fruit in the body. Lean and lack luster, though some people preferred '96 with food to the '95.
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Cos d'Estournel dinner with Aymeric de Gironde & Charles Thomas (Les Amis): Now we're starting to talk... Still spotting a dark ruby color with no visible bricking. Secondary flavors on the nose, with cigar, pencil, ink, spice. Fruit now tending towards red-profile. Silky smooth with very fine tannins and good length.
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A Night Out with Ch.Cos d'Estournel (Metropolitan wine cellar, HK): The 96 Cos is at a beautiful place. Possessing a slight matured look, clear ruby with light browning at the rim. Mesmerizing bouquet captures you with dark fruit, coffee bean, earth, spice box, herbal leaves and mint. Palate is exquisite, focus and casting a masculine feel, energetic, yet not overpowering, you'll pleasantly enjoy the smoothness and velvet texture on display. Acidity and softened tannins are giving the wine a pleasant lift. Finishing is long, tobacco, red fruit and burnt leather notes seem to last forever. My vote for WOTN. Excellent
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Whiff of currant during decanting. An hour later, the nose was dominated by bell peppers, and after another hour, some pencil shavings and dark fruit. In the mouth, attacked with a sharpness with some bell pepper and fruit, which I thought was a good match for food, but others found too strong. Good late palate feel and finish. Drink now (after a good 90 of breathing) for a sharper wine or wait for something smoother.
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Meh. Thin and uninteresting. I could be convinced that it is shut down, but I have no interest on waiting to give another bottle a try. Other people seem to love it, so I'm a seller.
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I could smell and taste Bret on opening the bottle. I was actually a little concerned that the bottle was corked. After about 2 hours the wine was fine and it continued to develop as the night went on.
To me this is classic bordeaux, pencil shavings, cassis,fine tannins all well integrated with a long finish.
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D'abord fin et salin, doté d'un joli fruité, il évoqua un margaux souple, évolué, élégant, et frais sur la finale. Puis, il s'est métamorphosé, il a gagné en intensité, le fruit léger est devenu cassis, la bouche se montra plus intense, plus riche, avec un surcroît de relief, et toujours une finale acidulée et saline (1996). Naturellement, une très belle longueur. Quelle élégance pour un St Estephe, pas d'austérité, pas de végétal... Un grand vin de Bordeaux.
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Dinner with M/M vinole (HB Bistro, Chicago): Dark color with notes of graphite, black currants and forest floor with a subtle green quality that I loved. Still youthful, there's some tannin to integrate yet, but it is certainly drinking well now, featuring black fruit, graphite, tobacco and spice box flavors with a lingering finish. Enjoy now and for many, many years to come. Thank you jcubed! 94+ pts.
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Opened by J3 at Home Bistro. Not quite as elegant as the '89 Pape opened alongside. Tobacco and leather notes, with a slight funk on the nose. Very nice.
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This still has one foot firmly in the “still very young and the fruit tastes like it’s from California” side, and the other side shows a Bordeaux of class and breed, but at least 10 years too young. Blue-black currant and blackberry palate, nice balance, lovely texture commensurate with its age, tannins are grippy and impressive but have softened a touch over the years in the cellar. Still, should have stayed in the cellar. But it was nevertheless delicious and impressive and we loved it with Flannery beef. I brought this to Philly for Sarah and Jonathan.
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Plenty of punch left in this bottle! Decanted three hours and continued to improve in the glass. Hit all the traditional metrics. Enjoyed with Coq au Vin.
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Utterly complex and interesting. Showing great balance with fruit combined with lots of maturity. tobacco, leather and dried currant. Palate is soft and generous, juicy, with blackcurrant, red cherry fruit. Lots of complexity on the finish. Delicious.
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Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux, St. Estephe (Rodwell House): Mid ruby to garnet rim; An intensely perfumed, intense nose with black fruits, spicy oak, toast, graphite and damp clay. The palate is less enthusiastic with seeming restraint, showing some age with warm baked fruits, cassis, marinated black plums and dried earth. Gravelly textured, there is good concentration on the mid-palate, but the back palate and finish seem to veer to a more firm, drying, almost bitter note that lingers, and the finish then falls off the edge. It ends with coffee grinds, feral and wet earth, suggesting a touch of bacterial issues elsewise, it showed well.
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Initially barnyard nose which became flowered, earthy and blackberry with coffee; nicely integrated and complex with blackberry and some pleasant sourness that provided balance; long deep finish.
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Tasted over 24 hours. Strong vegetal notes and not much else. Either this was a defective bottle (Cork looked A-OK.) or this just really needs more time.
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Five Decades of Cos D'Estournel with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): We have had this wine quite a few times and this time it felt quite a bit drier on the fruit with a lot more tannin than other times so not sure if this has turned a corner or just bottle variation. The nose is open and beautiful, classic, evolved very old school, spice, pepper, cedar. On the palate it as mentioned above it felt dry, mineral with a lot of tannin. Lacked the charm and complexity. Muscular and feels like one of the 1996s to let sleep. 92 for the moment a slightly concerned about it.
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Slightly evolved in colour but still pretty dark, slight discolouration. Coffee, dark fruit, spices, tobacco on the nose. Slightly drying but ok fruit, balanced, a little lean, starting to open up, fresh with great length just not overly generous fruit. 2015-2025. 92-94+
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Reiterated previous tasting notes; dark fruit and currants present but fading. Didn't feel the complexity on the finish was as pronounced as other reviews.
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Dark crimson color turning pale rust with a silver lining at the rim. The nose evokes of damp earth with slight hints of wet grass, Nubuck leather, dried oregano and faint hints of dried currant. The palate is utterly soft and silky with dark fruit flavors that have all but fully-matured and virtually dissipated at this point, and now showing tobacco, espresso, scorched cedar, and pencil shavings. Finishes elegantly on a long, high note with hints of dried herbs and minerals. Beautifully-made. The quintessential Saint-Estephe Bordeaux blend. Drink now. 93+
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On first pour this had a fair hit of Brett, however it really integrated and became part of the complete package. The nose is very deep and powerful: violets, asphalt, sweet ripe blackberry, cassis, dark cherries, blueberry, cedar, wet tobacco leaf, sawdust, herbs, mint, hay, barnyard. Really awesome and complex. This is in a perfect place between primary and secondary development. Palate enters sweet and juicy with slight dusty tannin and a long lingering finish built on blackberry, asphalt, hay.
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Celebrating New Year's eve. Decanted for 2 hours. Medium purple color with some brick at the edges. Nose of cedar, red currant, and plum with hints of forest floor and tobacco leaf. Beautifully rendered layers of black currant, earth, tobacco, and just a hint of green pepper which made things more interesting. Tannins largely resolved, acidity low-to-moderate. Finish long and elegant, echoing poised darker fruit and mineral. Full of life yet wonderfully elegant, a Saint-Estephe caught in a prime moment.
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From Mag, still young, few signs of aging but tannins already nicely integrated, loads of blackcurrent as always in estournels good vintages, has still a long life ahead, decant if drinking now.
Somehow, this wine never lived to my expectations. When opened first bottles in 2000-2005, showed to be closed, lacking complexity and a bit boring even after long decanting..Opened my fitfth bottle for thanksgiving, hoping for a better show...the wine had indeed matured, displaying interesting flavors of forest floor on the nose and ripe cabernet notes on the palate....but really..this is not 95 points...at the most 89 points...very pale compared to a GPL 1996 drank a few weeks earlier (95 points here)...will however keep my sixth bottle until 2016 for it's last chance...lets see!
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NYC Dinner with Peggy, Jim, Jacques and Jill (Jacques and Jill Levy): Dark red core, some lightening at rim. Cassis, earth, blood and iron on the nose. Full-bodied, cassis and cherry, tannins still evident but mellowing, great balance, some developing complexity but not yet fully there, just a very complete well-rounded feel with a long finish that didn't reveal any cracks in the facade. Expect even further improvement as it reaches full maturity. Outstanding. WOTN
Also drank the '96 Leoville Barton and Pichon Lalande. LB was youngest of the group. PL had an incredible nose and was starting to develop some tertiary notes, a bit closer to maturity than the others.
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13% ABV. Initially very closed, even with a 4 hour decant. Decided to slow-ox the rest for 24 hours and was definitely better the following day. Clearly still very young; color is still pretty dense and brick-free.
Complex nose dominated by peppers and raspberry. A lovely damp earth note as well. Very classical- I've heard recent Cos is made in a more modern (which I fear means flabby) style; this is certainly not in that vein. It's taut as can be.
On first tasting this wine tastes very lean indeed, and it takes a day to soften on the palate. With a few minutes in the glass it gets much sweeter, and the tannins are surprisingly well integrated. They're definitely there, but the wine couldn't be described as tough.
Let down a fraction by a rather noticable alcoholic kick in the finish (exacerbated by the complementary pepper flavors), which unbalances things a little and makes the (actually quite long) finish seem more clipped than it is. I have confidence this will settle in time though.
Try again in 5 years. Open well in advance if you want to drink now.
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My Birthaday Party: Family, Friends, Food and Wine !!! (My home): I don't recall to much of the Cos as I was too occupied with the Heitz MV and the Pichon Baron. All I remember is that it was a very classical, balanced and elegant 'old school' Bordeaux. I liked it quite a bit...drink with no hurry.
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BYO - Erik (Frederiksberg): Black currant and spicy tobacco nose. Spicy black currant flavors with a lot of freshness left. Rustic, sweet and juicy but overall very nice.
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- Garnet color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry, licorice anise, smokey and cherry. It's balanced and has flavours of mint, blackberry and coffee with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a medium finish - With only 1 hour of being decanted the wine was quite closed. As time progressed, it started to open up and become very complex. Next time a 3 h decant will be the minimum to start. This is a marvellous wine paired up fantastic with rack of lamb. Will definitely improve with a few more years but be careful not to overdo it as there is not a massive amount of tannins left!
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4 wines in this blind flight, all turning out being 2:em Left Bank 1996 Bordeaux. Chateau Cos d’Estournel, Pichon – Longueville Baron, Léoville las Cases, Rauzan – Segla. This has a beautiful nose, with green peppers, some boiled vegetables, black currant and nice mature Bordeaux tones with typical stable and hay fragrance. On the palate this has the typical 1996 high acidity, with an excellent balance between acid and fruit. Great long finish. Still a lot of room for development, since this is still a young and vital wine. Drinking very, very good right now. Excellent Cos! My blind guess was a 1996 Margaux Chateau (did not specify which) , as I found some traces of Margaux soil in this wine.
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Med+ deep ruby with cherry tinge and a slightest hint of age. Intense nose of red forest berries and underbrush. Traces of oak are still there, but rather well integrated, balanced. With a few hours of air the nose got very rich, with floral, strawberry, blueberry notes. Med. body. Red currants and cherries on the velvety palate, good tannic grip. Balanced, ripe, but fresh enough. Slightly spicy finish in a very pleasant way. Very good length. Some cocoa, earth and cassis in the aftertaste. Fine middle-aged claret.
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Rubber and graphite nose; wonderful but subtle expression of notes of earthy, herbaceous, light licoricey-blackberry; complex, smooth and lean; a bit short of length and the tannins are dry and still integrating and maturing so time is required.
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Decanted 2.5 hours, consumed over next 90 minutes. Classic; layers of dark fruit, cedar, tobacco, leather, forest floor. Still very youthful. Needed all of the air I gave it and could have used even more. Could also use a little more acid for better balance, still early in its evolution.
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375ml. Deep robe, showing brick at the disc. At first a dense, plummy, muddy nose; all muscle and no finesse. But with a couple hours in the decanter, this develops into something a little more patrician. Still earthy, but less muddy. Still the tightly packed, dense plum fruit but with lavender and a more crystalline delineation. Such a generous bouquet. So ripe on the palate with velvet tannin and a long blueberry and chocolate finish.
In a way, the profile reminds me of a younger version of the '89. Drinking now from half bottle but towards the beginning of the plateau. The balance is excellent and this is is so tightly packed with fruit that it will age for years.
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A very nice typical maturing cos. Not always as wild and showy as others in the left bank, but subtle and complex. Lots of tar, ash, spicebox, violets, and tart red fruit. I think there is a musty old barrel note that is notable in this vintage, it had us wondering about TCA taint, but our concerns were unfounded as this eventually opened up to become lovely. Very classically proportioned at a nice balance of primary and secondary notes. Drinking well and should continue to do so for years to come.
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This was a monster of a wine back in the early 2000's. I remember opening a bottle, and the aroma of smoke filled the room. This was one of my favorite wines of any vintage, appellation or chateau.
Upon opening, only a small part of its former self remained. Smoke, leather, tobacco are present in muted amounts. A slightly tannic and gritty mouth feel develops after breathing an hour or so. The following day it became slightly acidic. Perhaps if I had let it breathe for three days, the outcome may have been different.
If the bottle was priced at $60, like the first bottles I bought, I may give it a higher score. However, at over $200 / bbl, it's a disappointment. Unless you purchased at release, I would avoid purchasing from any source other than directly from the Chateau no matter how much the seller proclaims the provenance.
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a bottle from good codition. you can drink now but better to give it more time .it very like 86 cos, not as sweet as 90 and 95 but more structure. secondary boutique just start to develope.if i taste this bottle after 5~8 years i will rate it higher .
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K&L Grand Bordeaux Tasting (Redwood City, California): Wow! What a wine! Some browning on the edges. Gorgeous nose with a good barnyard/leather smell. Well integrated palate. Very long finish. Still seems to have room to improve over time!
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1996 Red Bordeaux (Medoc) , with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): Among the nicest CdE wines we have tried for a some time. The colour is still on the young and dark side. Cab sauv dominated aromatics, very open and aromatic on the nose, with spicy notes, light earth, light toasty oak and a touch on the floral side. Much like the Palmer this has a singing old school bdx classic nose. Good fruit across, mineral and with good acidity. A touch of dark fruits too and with a bit of weight on this and although young and quite tannic on the finish this is quite a beauty. Could use another 5-7yrs in bottle and will evolve into something special. 93-94 easy
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Beautiful and classical bouquet with cassis, other dark forest fruits, smoke, cedar, and a touch of sweetness. On the palate a meaty and juicy wine with dark berries, earth, a bit pleasant acidity, beautiful acidity and tannin with still a lovely bite. In the first half of its maturity stage and supple and juicy now. I have a few, so there will be a follow up. Probably in 2015 or 2016. 94+ for today.
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Cos-Montrose Battle (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): Very sweet, sexy and dense. Powerful and alcoholic. Seemed quite young and unevolved to me. Hard to pin down. Dusty, earthy, plummy fruit. Looking for balance, focus and direction, but a really nice wine. Felt that this particular one was in desperate need of decanter time... 18/20
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Cos like it ought to be. Needs decanting, 1hr or so as this is so youthful and this time round it had a bit of bitter tannin on the finish(this is the 4th TN in 4yrs for us). Still we loved the sheer class in this whine, the balance the minerality and vibrancy. Another great showing from a very good wine. Will keep the rest of our bottles for 5+ yrs though. Lets see how the 95 is behaving.. 93 and well worth it.
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Various Wines @ Salil's (Vernon, CT): It's been about 13 years since I last had this wine and not much has changed. It is still of wonderfully, painfully young wine with so much potential and upside. The fruit is rock solid, the leather and earth notes add complexity, the structure is bountiful. A slight stalky streak that adds complexity, but this is definitely not "green". I would keep these stashed in the cellar for another decade, at least.
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I opened this on my birthday dinner.. Lovely aroma upon opening.. The color is clear ruby red.. Opens up in about 1.5 hours.. Tannins are fully integrated.. Great balance of spices, cherries, cedar.. This one is ready to drink and should last a few decades.
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Weekend drinks at my place (Vernon, CT): Still very youthful but surprisingly approachable with some air, showing a core of youthful cassis and dark fruited flavours framed by tobacco, cedar wood and graphite elements. With time a faint green herbal note emerges that adds a sense of freshness and complexity. There's great balance and finesse here, and while it's very enjoyable now I suspect it'll turn into something quite stunning with enough time.
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The nose i shoving much more than the taste. I had great hopes for this wine, because when I opened it, it filled the room with great aromas of dark fruit. Sadly even after some time - 2 hrs in decanter, it did not produce enough body to follow the great nose. Still allot of acidity and quite stringent - maybe it should laye much longer?
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Exactly where you would expect this wine to be - wonderful balance of structure, tannins and fruit with some seconday characteristics coming through. Menthol, liquorice and minerals. Just creeping into the drinking window but years ahead of it.
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Polished dark cherries, Pencil shavings, Indian exotic spices , curry masala and violets all in a chicken coop basket covered in manure and horse sweat. An assault on the senses. Lithe with understated power like a black puma.
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taste: balanced, but the palate is lacking some that the nose didn't. Rather odd as it just seems limp with some tones of cedar, cranberries, cedar box and spice tones.
overall: hard to know what was going on the palate. It didn't seem fully there when I first got to it and didn't flesh out too much with the air that I gave it.
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Dinner at Browntrout (Browntrout - Chicago, IL): Great nose of leather, dried florals, tobacco, red fruit and warm herbs. The palate started off a bit mute, but with air it blossomed! Loved the integration of dusty red fruit, underbrush and leather on the palate. Thought it was a great showing, and another example of a '96 Bordeaux drinking in a great spot.
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Killer Bordeaux Tasting (Kevin's House (Minneapolis)): My least favorite of the Bordeaux wines but 93 is still a great score. Just goes to show how great this lineup was. Dark. Bing cherries, gravel, leather, blueberries and graphite. The nose was a little underwhelming but the palate did not disappoint. Medium finish. Drink within the next decade. Decanted 2 hours.
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Big Bordeaux III - Kickin' Ass & Takin' Names: Stunning Wines from 1986, 1990, 1996 + 2002 Cristal (Rocknroller's (Kevin's)): Very dark red/purple color. Slow ox for 3 hours followed by a 3 hr decant. This was fairly nice on the nose on initially opening the bottle, but the palate was quite tight. After the decant the palate blossomed. The fantastic nose shows lovely florals, cedar box, graphite, dust, lots of forest floor, cassis, blackberries, black cherry, leather, black raspberry. The palate is deep and full bodied, big, young, intense graphite, rich black fruits as noted, coffee, spices and nice big round and integrated tannins on the long finish. Originally scored this at 94+ and after another hour opening in the glass I had to upgrade it to 95pts.
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This takes a while to open up. Decant for a few hours now, or wait. The nose is classic bordeaux. medium to full body cherry and cassis. A good finish. Acid gives this energy. Seamless....no harshness. This should last at least another 10-15 years.
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Dark, brooding, purple, nose of wood which opened into fruit with spice as the wood and herbs faded. Very smooth, earth, long finish. Faded a bit towards the end with dry tannins.
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Ruby with a narrow garnet rim leading to an explosive eucalyptus, cassis, grilled coffee, spicy and oaky nose. Elegant in palate with firm fine-grained tannins and zesty acidity that are in perfect balance. Long coffee like finish. 60%CS-38%M-2%CF.
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Leiden tasting January 2012: Nose still a bit tight, red fruit, some graphite. Taste very intense, cassis, peppery, full bodied but very straight and spicy, linear, beautifull detailed. Very complex. Best wine of the evening.
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Massive herbal aromatics and a complex and elegant medium bodied red. Appeared ready to drink upon opening and didn't change much over the hour we consumed the wine.
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3rd time I have had this wine. This one was opened by a friend at dinner at Kiki's Bistro. Drank alongside the 1996 Giscours. This was not showing as well as the previous 2 bottles I had of this in 2005 and 2008 which each got a 93 score from me. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. The tannins were more prominent in this wine. Purple black color. Not decanted and it tasted rather closed but opened slightly with time. Notes of pencil lead, cassis and cedar. 90+ points.
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Rich blackberries and cassis, chocolate and coffee, wonderfully structured and concentrated and showing the fruit now. Beautiful balanced and delicious finish.
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Deep brick red, almost black. After 4 hours of decanting the nose is all cedar. All night the wine tastes cold, notwithstanding the fact that it had been brought up to room temperature. Rustic, gritty flavors that feel somewhat devoid of fruit. Have a soft spot for this one based on prior experiences but just not experiencing what I was expecting tonight
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Acker Merrall 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux Dinner (Balsan - Chicago IL): Big fruit, already accessible tonight, all quite primary. Nose of black currant, cherry liqueur, espresso and oak spices. Similar on palate. Persistent from beginning to end. Really showing nicely, even if not quite the powerhouse I might have expected.
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A wonderful bottle at a very attractive stage of its life. Fairly dark garnet. Amazing aromas of lead pencil, cedar, cassis and ink. Medium-bodied and silky textured with mellowed tannins, bright fruit that became more and more intense with aeration, balancing acidity. Really elegant. Medium, somewhat bitter aftertaste prevented me from awarding an even higher score, otherwise a masterpiece. Very enjoyable at its present stage, with at least another 10 years of life ahead.
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From bottle but should have been decanted at this stage. Clean nose of dark brambly fruit (blackberries etc) with just a hint of Bordeaux "funk" in the background. Supple on entry but the tannins clamped down on the finish - wait ideally another 5 years or so. Sleeper vintage. Should improve still and would likely have been much better with an hour or more in the decanter. 92+
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Day 1 Bouquet: Initially very strong barnyard (intense feces and urine, but in a good way!) which settled down a little with time, mushroom, dried blackberry. Palate: Whole-mouth drying tannins. Flavor: Earthy, smoky red raspberry, red cherry, leather, tobacco. Comments: Distinctly more barnyard and earth than the 91 Beringer Reserve Cab. This can go for another 10-15 years easily, this is complex and uncompromisingly Old World.
Day 2 Bouquet: Like Day 1 plus leather. Palate: No mellowing of those tannins yet! Flavor: Day 1 plus I noticed a bit more barnyard blending in with the earthiness and cassis and unsweetened cocoa coming in on the mid-palate and finish along with the leather and tobacco. 30 Second plus finish. Comments: Complexity shines through with a bit more fruit, so I upped the score from 93 to 94. With the Barnyard bouquet, even my 88-year old father could tell this was French. He preferred the fruitier 91 Beringer which is also showing well on day 2.
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Great wine. Clearly in a different class vs the Dominus 98 drank at the same time. Complex nose of black fruits, berries, lead pencil and leather. Everything is in great balance. Decanted for 3 hours and drank for 2 hours. Drinking well now and can certainly be kept for years
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From a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, this tobacco, cassis, spice, smoke, forest floor and gravel scented wine is on the lean, austere side. With hard tannins, the wine lacks elegance and charm. There is ample concentration in the wine, and a long cassis finish, but it's just not my style of Cos d'Estournel. With time, it might soften, but I would not bet on it. Fans of traditional styled Bordeaux wine might like this more than I did.
I will need to try another bottle of this wine again in the near future to see if this was a poor showing of a specific bottle, or if the wine has not developed well.
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Cos d'Estournel vertical (Morton's NYC): Wonderfully put together. Great strong fruit that is also round and has a soft friendly side. Great integration. Good balance with sweet fruit, dark notes and tannins. My WOTN. A
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I preferred the '96 Cos when it was young in 2003. I decanted for about an hour and let it breathe in the glass for about another hour. Muted flavors of my previous note. Either I would let breathe in the bottle for 24 hours or revisit the vintage in about 10 years.
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What an teriffic incredibly wonderful Dirty sexy and long living Wine this is ! "Did it already went to India and back " like the old story tells, becauss it tells you stories about a really good fantastic good old but Young and existing WINE of Life ?
in TASTE: this wine exhibits a wonderul floral wooden, forest underbrush TASTE .. incredibly long after Taste in endless Summer Notes of Roses, mushrooms, cedar and Wood, "smoking two joints of Mahrinuana" like a n sex apeal freshn and young sexiest women of your IMAGINATION....
go for this incredibly GREAT YOUNG bout old school WINE of Cos Estournel 1996 97 / 100 POINTS !!! GREAT !!!!
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Sunday afternoon at the Sampler (The Sampler, South Ken, London): Closed on the nose almost shut down. On th epalate it is less tannic than last tasting but still lost of tannin to go around and it feels so young still. Very good structure and definitely a wine to wait another 10yrs. 92 for now
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IWFS Bordeaux 2nd Growth BYO (Blu, Shangri-La, Singapore): Wow - this is really coming into its own. It just edged the 1990 Gruaud on the previous flight, perhaps because of its amazingly ability to pair with the tremendous cut of beef that we had. Nevertheless though, it was a wonderful wine by any measure. It had an absolutely lovely nose, rather more opened than the last bottle. After about an hour in the decanter, it showed deep, deep scents of cigar, tobacco, damp earth, dark dark fruit, and a hint of Chinese root herbs. Darkly intriguing stuff. The palate was almost surprising clean and fresh after that, but the same depth picked up on the nose was certainly there, with beautiful dark fruit mingling with spice box and tobacco notes - all showing lovely concentation wed to a first class (or should I say first growth ) sense of definition and focus. The long finish displayed a mouthfull of dark fruit, graphite, spice and cigar notes. Marvellous stuff and again showing wonderful depth paired with gorgeous freshness. This is really coming into its own and should be a world beating wine in another 5-6 years or so.
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decanted for about 1 hr, the nose was very earthy and seductive, sweet fruits and barnyard intermingled, not quite enough acidity to go with my veggie wild garlic risotto, those with the onglet steak probably faired better, but a very good wine, definitely hitting its stride, good length
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Just moving into its drinking window, this was utterly brilliant - polished, deep, serene and nuanced black fruit with mint, asian spices and a touch of oak. Very pure fruit and great length. An excellent Cos.
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WS Group Mid-Winter Offline (Himmarshee's - Ft. Lauderdale, FL): Decanted about an hour prior to tasting. Medium body and acidity, some graphite upfront, and reserved blackberry and currant fruit. A drying, slightly tannic, finish hurt my score a bit, and also held out potential that this wine is likely to improve with more age.
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This was a complete tannic tar bomb when I drank it 6 yrs ago. WAY better now. Tannins softened quite a bit, leaving some dark fruit and graphite notes on the finish.
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Had this at the Cos dinner held at Pierrer. The 93 outshined this wine because it had more fruit and development. 96 tonight did not show much nose or concentration tonight. Pratts was in attendance, to be honest, to my palate none of his wines tonight showed particularly well. The way I ranked them 01 and 93 were the better ones, and 96 the last. The Pagodes was not enjoyable. This 96 underperformed its reputation tonight.
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This wine was tasted in unblinded fashion at Tapenade restaurant in La Jolla, CA. The bottle was kindly provided by Ken Johnson and my tasting was with a beautiful braised venison dish. The wine was decanted approximately one hour prior to consumption (which I suspect was not enough time). Opaque ruby/red robe with red rim. Clean nose, showing primary aromas of black currants, smoke, mocha and earth. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity and big (fairly supple) tannins. The flavors mirror the nose. The middle palate is solid and the finish is long and quite smooth. This wine is a powerhouse which will likely improve with further cellaring. It has the fruit and structure to last for many years thereafter. Drink 1/16-12/30.
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Decanted about an hour before drinking. Deep, dark purple color. Nose shows leather, cassis, black fruits and smoke. Palate follows with dark cherries, leather and earthy tobacco on the attack, with smooth but substantial tannins hitting on the midpalate through the medium long finish. Lots of time left for this wine, but very approachable now. Great bottle. 5+14+18+8.
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Decanted 3-4 hours, which is necessary to soften the strong tanins. Deep cassis flavours with à hint of pepper and soft vanilla. Nice balance between fruit and tanins. Drink now and probably the next 10 years.
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A slight concentration of TCA really put a damper on the full enjoyment of this bottle. But we still drank it and made the most of it...I hate corked bottles, such a shame.
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Beautiful wine after decant. Dark in color that hits different notes start to finish. Cherry, spice, earth, currant flavors with fine (still firm and exuberant) tannins. Long finish. Drink or hold.
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Peter's Exit Dinner (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Paragon): A lovely Claret just beginning to exit its awkward adolescence. This showed far, far better than the last bottle I had. Although it was still young, it certainly gave me much hope for the couple of bottles I have ferreted away somewhere. Thought it was a Pauillac at first, but picked it out as a 1996 Cos when our attention was drawn to St. Estephe. It just had a classic Cos nose of tobacco, wet leafy forest floor, black tea and some woody, minty cedar bark scents. The palate marked it as coming from a strong cab sauv vintage. Lots of clean, pure, cool cassis flavours. Nothing forced, nothing extracted, just perfectly ripe, wonderfully pure fruit held in lovely balance by fresh acidity and given structure by fine tannins. Little capsicum hints marked the palate as the wine sunk into a deep, long finish full of more dark fruit and wreathes of long cigar smoke finish. Still a bit primary, but a real joy to drink, and when paired with lamb, just absolutely wonderful.
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This is the only bottle of this wine that we have. Decanted for about an hour. The wine is browning a bit. The nose is earthy, with currant and cedar. The flavors are still very concentrated with nice balance. The flavor is earth, tart blackberry with plenty of tannin to carry on. The cherry fruit took a while to emerge. Long finish. I would recommend giving this wine more decant time, perhaps 2-3 hours. This will go well with the moose stew later this evening.
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Same as previous. Even more impressed after tasting the 03 and the 01 in the interim. Great nose, mouthfeel, and longevity in the aftertaste. Some smoke, earth, and a touch of green (but not in the usual bitter way) and lovely long raisiny finish. Still very tannic, think it has a long way to go.
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Beautiful bouquet with pleasant barnyard and a lot of cassis and smoky oak. Also cassis and other black fruits in the taste. The tannin is soft but still powerful. Complex and great wine which is already very approachable.
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Decanted in the morning, this is still a couple of years off being ready. The nose had a lift and freshness to it - as did the initial taste - before the tannins and the shutters come down. Leave it for a couple more years before trying again. You have to be good to see this as a 95 point wine at the moment - with an imagination (or maybe experience) way beyond mine.
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Looking very youthful and dense. Excessive greenness and passing notes of soiled diaper blew off after a couple hours. Nose and palate still showed pleasant greenness, with flashes of spice and dark fruits. Nothing outstanding in the flavor profile, but tremendous mouthfeel and balance made this a pleasure to drink. Based on this bottle, I don't see a huge upside to further aging.
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Still pretty primary but showing its bordeaux pedigree through notes of earth, leather and tobacco. Long and classy but long life ahead. Was a bargain at the "old" prices, not sure that it makes sense at today's prices...
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Tasted as part of Cos d'Estournel vertical with Cincinnati Mondiale du Vin ('82, '85, '96, '00, '05). My third favorite of the line-up. Translucent purple. Nose of black cherry, graphite, and menthol. Medium to full palate of black cherry, tart blackberry, espresso, and nicely integrated oak. Excellent finish. Refreshing acidity Youthful tannins. Nice energy and verve.
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Still way to young. Tight and reticent initially, opened with heavy cigar tobacco on the nose. A touch minerally and herbal on the palette and never opened up with fruit or complexity. I hope this comes around
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I was lucky and had the 99 cos earlier in the evening followed by this 86 later. They were difficult to tell apart! Although the 86 is now 24 years old it is still vital and youthful. Formidable structure and big backbone of fruit. A classic Cos. This is not for the faint-hearted and I'm glad I was pairing it with steak. Deep blueberry, leather and a whiff of the bell pepper nose.
Mortons Madness (Hong Kong Mortons): Dark red hues, a bit of age showing. Looks good, and the fragrance wafting form the decanter says yes. Spiced cake, Xmas pudding Asia spice. Light on its feet, but complex, depth. Lingers forrrrever. Beautiful craftsmanship. Thanks Jo for the wine & comments. I am unworthy!
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In a very lovely stage with beautiful balance and a charming floral bouquet--the tannins have given way to nicely integrated notes of vanilla, caramel, menthol, black currants and cedar, conducing to a silky, somewhat lengthy finish.
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A powerful wine still in its youth, although with the adolescence behind it! Tannins and acidity not fully merged, lots of fruit. Can live many years more.
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It took a good hour to two of decanting time before the complexity and fruit really emerged. Overwhelming earth and funk gave way to menthol, dark cherries and subtle hints of vanilla. Also tar and smoke here to add to the confusion. Good but not outstanding bottle of Bordeaux. Could go another 5 to 7 years.
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Opened five hours prior to Thanksgiving dinner. Bought from Zachy's and stored in personal wine cellar. COLOR: Deep purple color with a slight red brick edge. NOSE: On the nose, a nice expression of the St. Estephe terrior, but much of that nice fruit bouquet and aroma has melted away. TASTE: Medium body and very balanced with silky smooth tannis, and nice length through the mid-palette. Just not much fruit left and not much complexity left either. Overall, pretty much as you would expect from an aged Bordeaux. Perhaps a little tired and limp. I was expecting much more. I would call it interesting, but not exciting. Very nice match with turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. I suggest sampling a bottles soon if you have any stock in your cellar.
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Colour: Still a dense, purplish red. Nose: Classic St Estephe nose of cigarbox, licorice, dark fruit and a hint of barnyard. Palate: More of the same dark fruit, medium length, a bit tannic towards the end. It did seem to flatten out a bit after a while in the glass.
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Bordeaux 95 vs 96 with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): Side by side 95vs96 @ Handfors's Tasting with Richard Brazier. big nose of fruit , pure fruit. Tons and Tons of big tannins. Backward and austere. We prefereed the 95 much more, at this stage at least. This baby needs 10yrs++
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Initially warm and earthy with some graphite but secondary flavors from age definitely emerging now. (Did not get barnyard (brett)) After an hour or so the wine gains depth and richness. Somewhat surprisingly ,it seemed to dry out and become less giving by hour four.
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Decanted for 3 hours before tasting. Compared to my last bottle this was much younger and much less yielding. Based on this I would hold off another five years before trying again.
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Followed over several days. Upon opening the nose was of such stinky barnyard it was unbelievable. The next day the nose was pure dirt, no stinky stuff. On the palate this was earthy and complex. A real treat to taste.
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My first bottle of this and did a quick double decant about 4 hours before having. Aging very nicely with the fruit coming through with the tanins in check. Great definition and focus to the wine. Some floral notes with tobacco and dark fruit coats the palate. I'll let my other bottle rest a few more years and anticipate it wil be fully mature by then.
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This is my 2nd bottle for the last several months. This one is vertical with the 1997, when open just like the last bottle, still not yet open, everything is not yet together. the taste is flat and nose is not strong, mild and hard to smell, however, after decanting for almost 3 hours, the wine is change, the nose is became better and having after taste. Believe this one should keep for another 5 years. Parker rated 95 is too much on the high side. Need wait and see.
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Drinking very well after a 1 hour decant. Very nice dark fruit with some graphite. Not sure how this will evolve over the next few years but if you must, opening a bottle now is not a bad idea at all.
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Nick and Emily loved it. I thought it was very good and got better as it opened up over an hour. Didn't have the legs to get any better after an hour, but very smooth, very classic Bordeaux
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This wine never disappoints and is drinking fantastic right now. Deep crimson red, soft but fragrant nose. The wine is so smooth with leather notes in the middle and a reasonable, but not ever-lasting finish. Great bottle of wine.
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Had this with tenderloin steak and sauteed mushrooms at a local restaurant. Ruby garnet color in the glass. The nose exhibits an initial sense of forest, mushroom, classic french terroir. Upon tasting, the wine displays wonderful layers of currant, truffle, dark berries, touch of graphite. Over the next hour or so, the wine relaxed considerably and evolved into a smooth, very well rounded bouquet - much of the initial funk was lost completely and instead reflected the palate qualities of the wine. This was the downside of purchasing at a restaurant; not enough time to properly decant for the hour or two that would truly benefit the wine.
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BWE does Manhattan: a 1996 & 2003 Bordeaux Retrospective: Starts off a little funky, but this blows off into a classic claret bouquet of earthy notes, cassis and wood. Great fleshy mid-palate, this eventually shows the best sweetness. Four of us had this as wine of the flight. (4 1st-place votes, 1 3rd-place vote = 13 pts)
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I decanted for one hour. Dark cherry, pencil lead, leather, stone, faint tobacco, and maybe licorice but only fleetingly. Very, very smooth just short of silky. Wish we had bought more back then but it was our first venture.
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possesses an opaque purple color, as well as pure aromatics consisting of cassis, grilled herbs, coffee, and toasty new oak. Massive in the mouth, and one of the most structured and concentrated young Cos d'Estournels I have ever tasted
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1996 left-bank Bordeaux tasting with lots more (Richfield, Lam Soon Building, Singapore): I had some vested interest in this wine since I have a few bottles lying around - so I got quite worried when I could not tell it out from the other wines in terms of quality when blind, and even more so when it was unveiled. Suffice to say, I was not blown away. Good, I thought, but not outstanding, even with a few hours of decanting. Thankfully, it really came into its own at the very end of the afternoon when we retasted it. At first, the nose had some telltale Cab Franc signs of green capsicum, along with stewed meat, some damp leaves, soy and earth and a toasty element. There was a little high-toned component in there as well, threading the line between flowers, glycerin and varnish - most likely the alcohol here. That faded a little with time though, and then I got the telltale graphite and tobacco leaf - with all the elements pulling together rather dramatically. The palate was probably the most polished of the lot on display, it was soft, lush and plush, very rounded with cassis and plums and lots of richness all round moving into a finish that showed dashes of spice and pinpricks of pepper. Just a liitle uni-dimensional I thought. Only at the very last hour did it really open up to show more cassis, tobacco and roasted capsicum notes, all held in a lovely balance. The difference was quite dramatic especially moving into the finish, which put on lots of weight and sappy fruit. This needs a lot more time yet. It is heading in the same direction as the stupendous 1990 and may indeed overtake it given some time.
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Bordeaux Tasting ("Chateau McClure Roberts", Philadelphia PA): very disappointing -- having had this recently, this bottle was very different. i do not believe it was flawed, as it wasn't corked smelling, and the cork looked fine (nor were the flavors indicative of heat damage). very green on the nose, with grass, forest, and cedar showing through with time. medium-long finish shows the quality here.
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Survey of Bordeaux (Our House -- Philadelphia): Not sure what was up with this wine. It may have been a flawed bottle, but the I did not think so, and the consensus was that it was not flawed. Dark color. Big hamster cage nose. Wood chips. Funk. Never blew off. Really off putting. Much more enjoyable on the palate with red fruit, but it lacked the spice and complexity that I expect from a Cos. Medium finish that petered out. For a wine of this pedigree and a wine that still should have a long life ahead of it, this was disappointing.
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Everyone seems to love this. Very tasty, but not extraordinary. I'm willing to defer to others who are more informed on expensive 2nd growths. I did like the fact that this isn't a jammy fruit bomb. It is so nice to have a BDX with cedar and cabernet flavors.
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Cos d'Estournel Masterclass: The fruits have melded niced with the concoction of primary and secondary flavours. Spice, green pepper, stalk, mushrooms, dried flowers and hints of cured meat. Complex and delicious. Very impressionable.
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I'm a great fan of this wine and this example was more backward and younger than the bottle I had last summer, but it was still exeptional. Classic nose with lead pencil and graphite and almost tar. The palate was intense, long and so complex and elegant with black cherry. A beauty.
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This was a very nice bottle of wine - perhaps it might have scored higher for me had it not followed a '95 Haut Brion. Although approachable, it probably wouldn't hurt to give this a couple more years.
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deep garnet. Nose initially was Bretty-very cow manure-but slowly, over 2-3 hours more sweet fruit came around. Taste was a medium weight Bordeaux. Not bad, but I expected more.
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Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux 1996 Vintage (Rodwell House): A bouquet of earth, cedar, truffle and mushroom with a lovely intensity behind it. A broad fruit spectrum balanced by lively acidity and fine-grained tannins. Full-bodied, the wine has an amazing depth of flavour with a core of black fruit and persistent length. There is a mineral, saline edge, enough fruit to provide material, a sprinkle of peppercorns, and pencil lead. A smart wine!
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I have had this wine several times and I keep wondering when this will ever wake up. Very layered and silky with great fruit. But my first bottle I had in 2002 was just as asleep. wake up sleepy head.
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Decanted for over 2 hours and open in the bottle at the restaurant for another hour and a half. Elegance and character! I think this is about the peak- for this bottle anyway. Unmistakably Bordeaux. Color was good, no bricking. Fabulous nose and long finish.
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Enjoyed with Kim and CT good friends neighborbill and sidboy at a very interesting pre-New Year's get-together 12/30. This was enjoyed in an after-dinner tasting as part of a tasting trio against an '86 Chateaus Cos d'Estournel and an '89 Dominus and was a very good bottle as the previous one also was but in this trio, much to my surprise, was actually my least favorite being slightly edged out by the Dominus flavor profile and with the '86 older brother being much better then both. It was decanted for two hours, not sure whether a significantly longer decant of say 4-6 hours would have improved it or would too much fruit have blown off by that time. Overall tasting impressions very consistent with previous bottle: nose initially of mild barnyard and musk which blew off quickly with remaining dark cherry. Very smooth with great mouth feel. Primary flavors included initial granite and chalk with notes of graphite, well balanced dark stone fruit, leather, tar and anise developing. Recommend decanting for at least 2 hours. Outstanding bordeaux, based on this experience this wine has an additional 5-10 years of improvement left under appropriate cellaring conditions.
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still extremely young -- red fruit still there with quite an underpinning of tannin. some subtle tobacco notes, but this is still remarkably primary. medium length finish.
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This is an intriguing wine. A beautiful dark colour right to the edge, on the nose there's a subtle hint of manure / ripe cheese which disipates quickly. Amongst those expected, it took me a while to pinpoint a very distinct flavour coming through - elderberry (think slightly astringest black cherry). A tangy mid-palette adds a freshness that belies it's middle-age. Moderate tanins and good length add to the overall picture. Recommended if you're looking for something different from Bordeau - it almost wants to be a CDP!
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Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (Landmark Hotel, London): Deep colour with some clarifty at the edge. Nose is a little lean, green pepper again and some spice. Palate is a little woody followed by a clean fruit. Clean, lean finish.
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Very good well aged bordeaux enjoyed with Kim at Delmonico's at the Venetian in Las Vegas for lunch. Very dark red, very pleasant mouth feel, full bodied and complex, well integrated and smooth, weaker on the fruit then I would have expected which makes me wonder if this is getting slightly past prime. Decanted at the restaurant for just a few minutes before the first glasses were poured, the second glasses were much better then the first suggesting a significant benefit from a longer decant. Nose initially of some mild barnyard and musk which blew off quickly with remaining dark cherry. Flavors included initial granite and chalk with notes of graphite, dark stone fruit, leather, tar and anise developing. Definitely recommend drinking up holdings soon and recommend decanting for 1-2 hours - looking forward to trying remaining bottle under those drinking circumstances at home.
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Drank this with Myriah to celebrate her birthday. Fine enough wine - everyone else seems to be having more fun with it than we had. I thought it had a lot of complexity but that it lacked much by way of fruit - which is a surrogate for saying that it wasn't "giving," perhaps.
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This combines sex appeal with power. It's a large scaled wine filled with ripe, spicy, black fruit. The tannins are round, allowing it to already show nicely. I'll hold mine for at least another decade.
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Second time I have had this wine with a similar score each time. A blackish red color. This was fuller bodied than the 1995 but also much more raw. it had a chalky character with notes of lead pencil/graphite, and black fruit. Lots of grip on the finish. 92-93 points.
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Started with heavy horse stable then revealed a wide range of red and black fruits, cassis and graphite. There was a hint of green bell pepper on the nose that was more pronounced on the palate. Good depth and balance with just a touch of tannin and a pleasing freshness. Would have been even better without that bell pepper.
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Very nice bordeaux, soft and full bodied, this was open and giving from the beginning. Slate and complex earth on the nose, and the palate was medium to full bodied, with crushed granite, cassis, cedar, and loamy earth on the palate. The finish was long and balanced, with mildly austere tannin structure suggesting that this might have legs to go another 10-15 years.
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This is all pencil lead, cassis and smoke. Not the most flattering or complex showing but worth the ride none the less. This is quite a bit less charming than the last showing a couple years ago but shows depth and potential. Hold.
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My third and final bottle of 96 Cos was brought up to Seattle for the CellarTracker get together event and it showed very well. See previous notes for more details on the specifics. Of the roughly 15 vintages of Cos I have had, this is one of my favorites.
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A classic aged St. Estephe. A real beauty that I wished I had more of. Nice classic aged Bordeaux nose, and a long caressing finish with austere finesse. Drank with a couple of friends who know their wines, and they were very pleased as well.
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Note from memory. The nose was so intense in the beginning that I thought it was a Bonneau CNDP. Then the merlot nuances came through on the nose and palate, which made me guess right bank bdx. The wine seemed mature and was so elegant, pure and precise. Just great.
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A very nice bottle of Cos '96 was decanted 1 hour before dinner at Bomans restaurant in Sweden. The wine had a wonderful elegant nose of classic Bordeaux style. Currant, cherries, red fruits and some underlying hints of truffles. The taste was full bodied and very deliscious and long. The wine is still its youth and any one drinking this wine after 2020 will most likely have an unforgettable experience.
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Dinner with Steve & Barb at Bonne Soiree. When this turns out to be the weakest wine of the night you know you've had a great night! Purple in color, the nose jumps out of the glass with an overload of violets and other florals. Medium bodied and very rich on the palate. Very long on the finish and not very tannic. A beautiful bottle. 50+13+13+8.5+8.5 = 93
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thought this was good for sure , would have benefitted from a few more hours of air time i thought , dark color , easy drinking wine lots of fruit not much tannin.....91
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Drank this next to an 04 Mondavi Reserve. What a contrast. Mineral and fruit dominate this wine, just coming into its drinking window. Slate and rocks on the nose, with ripe berry fruit and licorice intertwined. The palate was medium to ful bodied, and was filled with cassis, slate, some light herbal notes, maybe some cumin. The finish was long, and caressing. This wine has more time, for sure, but it was a beauty right out of the bottle.
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Garnet in color. Glorious nose of dark fruit, mineral, and a hint of brown spice. On the palate, was tremendously complex and silky with integrated tannins. Really mouthcoating and full bodied. Long finish. Fantastic bordeaux and for current release prices, this is a steal.
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One of my earliest experiences with great aged Bordeaux, drank over a case of this and truly a great food wine, with density but a structure that leaves space for food, doesn't club you over the head but lets you come to it, more recent vintages can seem overly extracted in comparison. Dark fruits, great smoky nose, cedar also. I dont think they make them like this anymore. Also, at around $50/bottle seemed expensive at the time but cheap in retrospect.
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Amazing nose right out of the bottle - and on the palate dark fruits, tobacco, and that spice characteristic that I associate with Cos. Decanted about an hour and this wine was firing on all cylinders, however I noticed a decline downward after two hours that left me wandering about the longevity of this wine..
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Decanted for 4 hours and served with grilled leg of lamb. Two bottles showing identically. Color was not bright or hugely deep. The nose was fabulous; rich with cedar, dark fruit, and spices. Taste was almost an explosion of complexity. Certainly not over-the-top or "fruit bombish", but intense and delightful. Forever finish. Perfect balance of tannins and acid. Great now and no sign of aging.
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taste: real big grip on the palate. Tobbacco, dark fruit, cassis, and coffee notes just grip you like a tight glove
overall: real good stuff. Big and bold, a bit backwards and it's now starting to come around and strut it's stuff. It's like a tamed bully in a way, but it still wants to bully you around when it gets the chance
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Taste: extremely easy drinking(though there are some tannins on it for extra backbone). Real lush mouth with cranberry and tobbacco as the main notes. Real nice lasting finish
Overall: I really like this. It's still young, but the structure is there for a really long life and this is a cut above the other wines that were had during this flight of the tasting
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Opened and found a slightly loose and stained cork. I say loose in that the cork was rotating as I was sliding the end of my wine key into the cork. I was worried a bit to say the least.
I took an initial sip and found good structure and taste (what a relief!). I left it for a mini Auduoze for about 1 hour in the cellar and brought it up for dinner. At first we found a subtle nose of blackberry fruit and violets...very St. Estephe in its expression. Never the less, the wine was a bit reticent.
After 1 hour, the wine began to fill in, as it gained more weight and supple texture. It became a volutuous wine with such a silky texture.
Such a long finish, with each sip seemingly better than the last. Should be a deadringer in 2 years
94GW
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Still quite closed. Dark fruits on the nose and smoke. Decanted for 6 hours but needed more time. Very smooth and enjoyable with fine tannins but not ready and not nearly as complex on the finish yet as the 03. I wouldn't think about this for at least another 5 - 10 years but room for upside.
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Double decanted and then sat waiting for about 6 hours. We had this wine along with the 99 and this one stood out by far as the best of the two. Excellent stuff.
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1996 Bordeaux Horizontal (Custom House): Typical Cos nose of spicy cedar warm red fruit. Nice round red fruit with spicy notes and good acidity on the palate. One of the better 96s of the evening.
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1996 Bordeaux Horizontal (Custom House - Chicago, IL): Aromatically complex with delicious sweet cherry, spice, licorice and smoky notes. Palate has rich, tarry dark fruits. Great texture and mouthfeel. Has restrained power, with all the pieces showing in place tonight.
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This seemed too young right now. Very dry, dusty, earthy nose, thick bodied, some cassis fruit that seemed muddled with a drying tannic finish. Didn't really enjoy this very much. Hold and pray.
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Tasted from 375 ml. Still tight and fairly tannic. Reminds me of some 86s in style in fact. Lots of left bank cab (i.e. cassis and dark fruited) flavors. Needs plenty of time and for cab lovers.
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Dinner at Eleven Madison Park (New York, NY): Stalk and tar, a wine with great spine. Mmm, dynamic, chewy, some leather, graphite, gorgeous wine. A wonderful showing. I don't drink a lot of Cos, but this taste and a recent taste of the 1982 makes me think I need to fix that.
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Casual tasting at De Tapas (Dallas, Texas): Beautiful wine, with dry tannins and a hint of olive initially, with the aromas and flavors becoming very expansive. A classic, yet awesome wine. Had alongside the 1986, which was a treat -- preferred the 1986 slightly. 92-97
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Beautiful currant aromas but the secondary aromas lke tobacco and cedar are more impressive. In the mouth it explodes. Decanted for 2 hours and the tannins became really silky and elegant. What a wine, such finesse. Spices, mineralilty....complex long finish.
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Best i've ever tasted. Loads of spice and great long finish. each mouthful seemed to expose more and more. A worthy Christmas season treat with the family
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Really singing now. The nose is a glorious blast of tobacco, leather, herbs and fruit. On the palate it is a dense, tightly-wound wine that has layers of flavour. There's a long and satisfying finish. This wine is just great now, but I would guess will continue to improve for another 5 years.
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Tasted double blind. Pronounced and I mean pronounced cellar floor/terroir. I pegged it quickly as a St. Estephe and guessed '95. The bottle had been open for a few hours and it was still heavily skewed toward a dirt fruit profile that didn't let up until the very end of the decanted bottle. Fruit notes were starting to emerge, and I'm going to guess that this would be at its best in 5-10 years when the edge softens and the fruit claims its rightful position. Not my cuppa tea today , but one must respect the terroir.
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The real thing. Deep dark nose of earth and black fruit. A single focused acid note at the top of the palate, then inky bottom takes over. India ink, clay earth, black fruit, and a bit of oiliness that all go on forever. Some chaulk. Perfect balance and integration. Over about two hours it opened a little, starting to show just a bit of pepper. One might hope for a bit more complexity, which age will likely provide.
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Decanted for 2 hours. Not enough. Needed another 2 hours to balance the tannins. Very nice floral flavors. Blackberry, lilac and dark cherries. The wine should continue to age very well. Overall the wine is very nice but it lacked depth. I still have several bottles so we'll see how it goes.
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Decanted for over three hours, this followed a '99 Cos. This had everything going the '99 had including youth. It also had much more going on in complexity and layers of fruit and flavors. One of those very fine wines that you can enjoy just the nose almost as much as the taste. IMO the WOTN surpassing the '89 Cos and an '82 Talbot. Drink it now or hold on. This one has lots of years ahead.
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exceptional. bought in '96 and held until end 2006. drinking marvelously! Fresh, clarity of fruit taste (cherry, or berry) very fine. should be good through 2010.
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This is true bordeaux. double decant and let it sit for 45min...continued to open up during dinner and by the second glass is what beautiful. Great balance and smooth--tannis gave the perfect kiss and fruit was not too forward with a long lingerning finish.
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Took from cellar to drink with nephew ATBridge and my wife Cathy at fine restaurant with braised beef short ribs. Decanted for about three hours. In general, great stuff, especially with the short ribs. Beautiful, dark color, hardly any sediment. The nose was full with lots of blackberries, flowers and earth. The tannins were noticeable but sweet, resulting in good structure. Cassis, cherries, tobacco and earth on the palate. Medium long finish. The overall effect was of a young, powerful wine that was entering a good phase. The wine did not evolve over the more than two hours we savored it, however, which made us think that it could probably be decanted for several hours to good effect.
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At 10 years old, this one is still a baby. The color is very dark, almost opaque, with no hints of age. Very classic Saint Estephe nose of earth, spice and olives. Full bodied with berries, earth, and a little bit of plum flavors and a finish that seemed to last forever.
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Very good but was hoping for great. Somewhat thin and lacking the earthy Saint-Estephe terroir that I was expecting. Way better than your average grape juice...but not up to the pedigree.
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The nose is absolutely lovely on this one. Could smell if for hours. Pencil, Cedar, Orange rind and clove are really sticking out in my mind. The wine itself is huge and classy. Chocolate, great fruit, fantastic balance. I think we are just beginning to see this wine come into it's own. It still seems a little tight to me.
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Traveling Methuselah's (The Murray's!): Wow! What an exotic nose - classic Bordeaux cedar, and pencil lead, with some spices thrown in for good measure. Wow again! Loads of chocolate and fruit accompany the usual suspects on the palate. The finish is very long with slightly drying tannins. Even after a good 7 hour decant, this still needs time, 5 - 10 years. It's going to be a helluva wine!
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This wine is still young, but is very drinkable at the moment. Initially a nose of cedar and tobacco, with time the fruit comes out and the nose becomes very complex. After about an hour the wine delivered an amazing combination of currant, graphite, chocolate, and earth on the palate. An extraordinary wine, and available (at least in FL) for a very reasonable price.
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Graphite and mineral showing on the nose. On the palate there are notes of bell pepper, pretty ripe fruit, pungent flowers, and an almost musky quality with a note of drug store cologne. Very powerful inner-mouth aromatics. Tasted blind.
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Still a baby. Some initial bottle stink blew off while spending 3 hours in the decanter. Dark, thick, unctuous wine. Aromas and flavors are primarily earthy right now with pencil shavings and currant. Still closed with the remarkable tannic structure says wait at least another 3 years.
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1996 Bordeaux Horizontal: Smooth, silky. Gorgeous. Complex with herbs and mint. Warm and full. On the young side, but entering it's early drinking window. A-
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Monthly Methuselah Tasting (The McCrary's): The color of this is a deep ruby red with little if any bricking. Initially there was some sulfur on the nose but that blew off to reveal absolutely huge toasty notes. It took a long time to pull anything out of this baby but once it opened up - wow! Tons of earthy fruit backed up with slightly grainy tannins and a huge, long spicy finish. This wine is going to be incredible one day, it's way too tight now.
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Deep, almost opaque garnet in color. This wine opens right away with a lovely coffee, anise, chocolate covered raspberry nose. The mouth is weighty and faily austere with layer upon layer of cassis, coffee, minerals and earthy notes. This is serious wine with a very sexy nose that's almost scary good. Totally killer Bordeaux!
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Opened and tasted a little right then - at that point an 88. Hot and unidimensional. Came back 3 hours later and had with lamb chops. Little brett, but mostly fruit and earth on the nose. Dark fruit, graphite and metal. A very nicely balanced wine w/ a 30+ second finish.
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Mmm, this was really good. Ruby color, with hints of blue/purple in the middle. Tea, some herbs, cedar, and some earthy, funky notes. On the palate this shows really good structure, however the fruit - currant, sour berries - is starting to take a backseat to saddle, earth, tobacco, and other secondary flavors. The best Bordeaux I've had in a while!
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Inky Purple out of the bottle. The nose opens with lead, tobacco and plum. The taste seemed initially somewhat blunted, probably owing to the fact that I had just finished a 1997 BV tapestry. Tried another glass 3 hours later and the wine and my taste buds seemingly improved. Plum, Currant and spice seemed to predominate. The wine had a nice long finish, but still somewhat tannic. I wasn't as impressed as some of the other notes seemed to suggest. Certainly a good wine, but compared to the 1999 Pavie I had 3 weeks ago, I don't think it is in the same class.
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Shows a beautiful perfume on the nose. Excellent depth, with lots of cassis, cocoa, and well-intergrated oak. The fruit is especially appealing in this wine - it is intense, pure, youthful and rich. Very good structure and minerality frame the fruit and lead into a long finish. Decanted for 3 hours, drunk over the next 3.
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This wine was poured at the Wine Spectator Grand Tour in Las Vegas earlier this month. I thought it was Pauillac in style despite coming from St. Estephe. This wine is starting to open up but is stil quite young. Red fruit with mineral and spice garden notes. Very fine. 93+ points.
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Dark with a purple hue. Tobacco, cigar ash, herbs, cassis, fruit and minerals took over your nasal senses while the palate enjoyed the deep, ripe black fruit. This, dense, full-bodied wine was very tannic. Needs time.
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An easy afternoon with close friends (@ PdV): Ruby. Deep bouquet with black currants and well integrated wood. Very soft and juicy taste of all black forest fruits. Long aftertaste in which you can find blackberry marmalade and a little pepper/spicy. For me the red WOTN. Though I must say that the wine is surprisingly mature.
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Tasted at the California Wine Experience, NY "Top Ten Tasting" Deep and dark color, at first a medicinal and bitter nose, then comes some cabernet fruit. Somewhere there are green apples lurking in the background. On palate lots of tannin and not much fruit
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CT Group does 1996 Bordeaux @ Jeff S: Tons of sweet fruit, with nice earth. Beautiful concentration. Brawny wine, yet very well balanced. Powerful. Needs time to smooth out the structure.
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4/26/2024 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Bob was right, this should’ve been served in the first flight with the Pichon Lalande and Ducru above as it was simply over-shadowed by the power of the '96 LLC and Haut Brion drunk alongside. That being said, I still thought it was a beautiful wine that really showed the terroir of St. Estephe with flavors of earthy dark fruits, Asian spices and road tar. A beautiful wine that needs drinking now. 94
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4/24/2024 - zimmy07 Likes this wine: 95 Points
This is on point! Popped cork and the perfume from the bottle was instant. violets poped on the nose. On the palate cedar, pencil shaving, gritty tannin and blue fruits. In perfect balance. I am not sure this will get better, it will hold for aonther 10+ years easy, but not sure it will improve. This was so damn good!!!!
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4/13/2024 - MikePemulis Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was really good immediately after decanting with noticeable fruit still present. The fruit faded after 30 minutes or so leaving a more mature Bordeaux profile. Enjoyable throughout with the first phase my favorite.
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4/13/2024 - Rani Likes this wine: 92 Points
Tasted blind. Notes of black fruit, burnt rubber, dried herbs and sous bois. Quite restrained and lovely, but not as good as previous bottles I’ve had.
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3/30/2024 - englishman's claret wrote: 94 Points
It’s a real pleasure to revisit the 1996 Cos d’Estournel. I’m sure I’ve tasted it in the interim, but my last note on this was in 2012. Over the past 12 years, this has retained almost every element of the character I last found, full of plum and blueberry compote, clay, lavender, cedar, cigar, espresso, and intense pencil. The palate is slightly less generously fruited, showing more beef blood and cumin. This takes half an hour to get going and then after an hour of pleasure Brettanomyces starts to dominate. Yet it’s still a wine relatively early in its evolution, mellowing, losing (a little) heft and cultivating some finesse, underlining the reassuringly slow glide of great claret across time.
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3/14/2024 - djdaqm Likes this wine: 97 Points
About twenty years ago, when I was newly getting into wine, I went to a Christie's pre-auction tasting at the Jonathan Club in Los Angeles. There I was introduced and fell in love with my first tastes of old first growth Bordeaux, like Lafitte and Haut Brion. This Cos took me right back there from the second I smelled it--scents of autumn leaves, tobacco, pencil shavings, and cedar. I really enjoyed this and it reminded me why and what good aged Bordeaux can be. It gradually changed but didn't diminish over the evening, with its long after taste, earthy secondary flavors, complexity, nicely integrated tannins with plenty more life left for further aging, and beautiful balance.
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2/4/2024 - KenCT wrote: 92 Points
Delicious - well integrated tannins with classic cedar notes and fruit that is still holding up. Time to drink up
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1/16/2024 - PanosKakaviatos Likes this wine: 95 Points
An evening of fine wine and food (Black Salt Restaurant, Washington D.C.): This blend of Cos 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, which had aged in 65% new oak was the "wildest" of the three Médocs we had over dinner, which included GPL and LLC. Above all, a powerfully tannic wine, whose tannins had a somewhat caged animal aspect but not unripe, notwithstanding hints of grilled paprika that for me added complexity to the more evident ripe cassis, truffle and tar. Fuller bodied than the Grand Puy Lacoste of the same vintage, and a longer finish, infused with peppery spice and a cooler blue-fruit aspect. In any case, at least this bottle - thanks Keith - could easily be cellared for the longer term.
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1/9/2024 - Odedis.Wine.reviews Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark ruby in color with a cloudy reddish/ brick rim.
Earthy nose and medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with nice complexity.
Showing black currants, plums, cooked cherries, earth, wet leaves, herbs, light vegetables, coffee, eucalyptus, mediterranean spices and peppercorn.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This 28 year old is still drinking very nicely. A great Second Growth Bordeaux.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after 45 minutes of airtime.
Complex and engaging. Will continue to drink nicely in the next 5 years.
A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. Aged in (65% new) French oak barrels.
13% alcohol by volume.
93 points.
$200.
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1/6/2024 - valedeniro wrote: 96 Points
Fantastic Cos ! Intense and very complex nose shows crème de cassis,cedar,truffle,graphite,some leather and tobacco.Full-bodied,the palate is really impressive,with complex flavors built around a core of concentrated,ripe and juicy fruit.A big wine,at the same time elegant and with incredible focus and length.Still young,but ready.Should drink well for at least another 10-15 (or even more) years.
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12/29/2023 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 95 Points
7th tasting with similar notes.
Pronounced nose intensity with leather, forest floor, cooked red and black fruits, spices, toast, incense. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin.
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12/27/2023 - MRichman wrote:
Yes, this is delicious. Creamy deep red fruit with cassis, leather, herbs. Concentrated fruit, great resolved tannins on finish. Youthful, drinking at a perfect age right now and for another 10+ years. Excellent.
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12/16/2023 - djhammond wrote: 93 Points
I do find myself agreeing with J Moon that this is becoming a little tired.
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11/19/2023 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Thanksgiving Mondo Dinner 2023 (Atlanta, GA): Tasted double blind. Wonderful left bank nose with some greenness and herb on the finish. I called it '96 Pichon Lalande. This is the first time the '96 Cos really showed well. My prior tastings of it have been backward and austere.
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11/14/2023 - luHar1423 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Positive surprise - holding up very well in a Cos d'Estournel vertical tasting (1985-2009).
Very enjoyable on the palate, nose was rather on the dull side. Still fresh fruity notes, primarily black cherry. Tannins still present and well integrated giving this wine a very silky texture. This wine is too good to share with any food pairing, but perfect to impress your friends and beloved ones. Approx. 10 years + opportunity window to enjoy this baby.
Double-decanting, 1h before.
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11/8/2023 - paulst Likes this wine: 91 Points
Tight and restrained; some cherry and light blackberry; needs time.
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10/1/2023 - Collector1855 wrote: 96 Points
Pristine bottle at peak drinking window now. Wonderful top nose of licorice and cassis, not too tertiary yet, really has some reserves left, followed by a potpourri of earthy elements, bacon, vanilla. The palate is elegant, medium bodied, grippy but ripe tannins, good acidity. Really a texbook Bordeaux that in Napa only Dunn probably makes. My kind of wine 96+.
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9/28/2023 - sean20waldo wrote: 88 Points
Very faded, big step down from the 2000 (Cos tasting at Masion Estelle)
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9/22/2023 - jmoon wrote: 93 Points
Last bottle was 7 years ago when probably at peak. On opening it was like someone being woken at 5am for a game of tennis. Confused, non committal. Tasted tired old bordeaux grandmas basement vibes. This blew off after an hour and the wine started to fill out. At the two hour mark, with osso buco, she put on weight and delivered a fabulous performance. Game, set and match.
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9/20/2023 - Willi Vinotti Likes this wine: 92 Points
A testament to old school Bordeaux, intense without being invasive, suberbly structured, good length. A nice balance between forest floor, mushroom and tamed red fruits. At the very end, the acidity became more dominant, otherwise a splendid wine that has plenty of years left ahead of it!
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9/18/2023 - CarpeDiem! Likes this wine: 94 Points
"Will this bottle ever wake up?" was the question in the room. Well, it is timidly entering its drinking window. Tannins are slowly giving way to a dense, complex and elegant wine built on perfectly matured black berries, pairing plums, tobacco and vanilla notes with pencil shavings, pepper, coffee and ink, to a multilayered classic Bdx story to be told over at least two decades.
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9/10/2023 - forceberry wrote: 96 Points
A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%) and Merlot (35%). 13% alcohol.
Dark yet moderately translucent cherry-red color with a light dried-blood hue. At first the nose feels somewhat restrained yet still very complex and attractive; however, it slowly opens up, increasing in intensity to some degree. The bouquet shows aromas of ripe dark forest fruits and smoky notes of chipotle, some herbaceous leafy and bell pepper notes of Cab, a little bit of fresh blackcurrant, light evolved nuances of earth and cured meat, a hint of tobacco, a touch of cedary oak and a whiff of Asian spices. The wine feels dry, sinewy and quite structure-driven on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and very intense flavors of ripe blackcurrants and red plums, some hebaceous notes of roasted bell pepper and leafy greenness, light evolved nuances of tobacco and meaty umami, a little bit of cedary wood, a hint of toasty oak spice and a vague touch of smoke. The combination of high acidity and still moderately assertive and grippy tannins make the overall feel pretty muscular, yet not tough or aggressive. The finish is complex, intense and moderately grippy with a long, savory aftertaste of meaty umami, some tobacco and roasted bell pepper tones, a little bit of wizened dark fruit and ripe blackcurrants, light woody notes of cedar and pencil shavings, a sweeter hint of pruney character and a smoky touch of chipotle.
I tasted this wine 7 years ago and I described how the wine was showed remarkably youthful qualities and firm structure despite the somewhat evolved nuances, guessing that the wine will keep for at least another 10 years. Well, the wine has continued to not only keep, but also evolve for the past seven years now, the wonderful tertiary qualities coming a bit more to the fore and the firm tannins showing a bit more resolution now. However, the wine still feels surprisingly youthful and vibrant for its age and the tannins are still surprisingly firm and grippy. This is as fantastic a wine as it was then, maybe even a tad better and more complex now - although the nose wasn't maybe as rich and powerful as it was. Yet still, this was easily among the best vintages of Cos we had in in our 1985-2002 vertical - if not the best (along with the exceptional 1985 and 1986 vintages). Based on its impressive intensity, sense of youthful energy and firm structure, this is an extraordinary vintage that will continue to keep (and hopefully improve) for many, many years more. Very highly recommended.
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9/2/2023 - Sean Tay wrote: 94 Points
Pronounced nose intensity with leather, forest floor, cooked red and black fruits, spices, toast, incense. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin.
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9/1/2023 - vagrantone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classic Cos drinking at its peak right now.
Decanted a couple of hours before serving, which seemed a very good choice.
It clearly shows the classic style with its exquisite balance, complexity and "lightness" in the best possible meaning of this term. Moderate alcohol, sufficient acidity for graceful aging, just a hint of welcome herbaceous notes.
This might be one of the last vintages of Cos in this classic style; also before change in ownership.
Drinking close to its peak now, but should continue to do so for at least another 5+ years.
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8/19/2023 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking beautifully now with a 2-hour decant showing such a smooth, texture with a layered mouthfeel. Delicious but subdued dark berry fruit with lovely mature notes of sweet tobacco, graphite minerals and a touch of green pepper. An older style of Bordeaux with it's lower ripeness but it remains a joy to drink.
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7/29/2023 - luHar1423 wrote: 94 Points
Another contestant to our blind "Summer of 96 Tasting Event". This one was neither a surprise nor a disappointment. Solid, with still astonishingly chewy (and wild) tannins, young acidity but slowly vanishing/blurring fruity notes on the palate.
This Cos will definitely age in grace, but is definitely not in my top three of best Cos vintages - thus, I will pass on this
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7/2/2023 - optioninvestor Likes this wine: 95 Points
Stellar. If I can sum it up, classic and extremely well balanced. The structure is impeccably refined, a tower of numerous dark fruit enveloped in floral and herbaceous notes. The sniff of acidity is perfect, and CARRIES thru the entire nose to swallow journey. Tannins are still prominent, but softened with maturity. Even the color shows the strength of this wine with just a touch of tawniness on the edges - wife called it the touch of wrinkles on a phenomenally distinguished face. Since we were enjoying this for so long, caught a whiff of charry leaves, sandlewood, and very faint citrus.
This bottle is testament to keeping a cellar and filling it with wines from the old world. I just bought another.
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6/1/2023 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Virtually perfect Bordeaux. Wonderful if surprising richness to this wine, full of sweet blackberry, with hints of leather and underbrush behind, great balance of primary and tertiary here. The charry oak is still discernible but adds rather than detracts. Medium bodied, good acidity and tannin, now softening. Long and complex, drinking perfectly but will go on for decades yet.
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5/21/2023 - bobadopolis Likes this wine: 95 Points
1996 Bordeaux at its best. Brief decant, then spectacular
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5/21/2023 - super007 wrote: flawed
Unfortunately it was oxidized and off. There were still tannins that were nice and clinging to the tongue, chalk like texture. But this was off unfortunately. Cork broke and was moist up through the top.
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5/12/2023 - ThijsV Likes this wine: 95 Points
PnP as there was something to celebrate. Cork was perfect. After the first glass decanted en it just got better and better during the evening (~ 4hours). The last glass was the best, brilliant development over the course of the evening. this should last for decades. After my initial horror, afraid sensing what I thought was more VA than likeable, it became a brilliant clean and pure wine with black currant, black cherries, blackberry, plum, graphite, mushrooms, tobacco, cassis, leather, chocolate, ceder, pencil shaving. Lovely lingering finish. 95+
Regret I didn’t leave a bit to taste on day 2
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4/28/2023 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 95 Points
It was a hard ask to follow the experience that I had with this wine in January, but this came very close. It does take a good bottle and some patience though.
This bottle was pristine and the aromas wafted through the room as I pulled the cork. My plan was to decant for 1 hour and then return it to the bottle for later (trying to mimic the treatment this may have had when I tasted in January). The wine was youthful in appearance and the nose intense but for logistic reasons (ok, my IF schedule!!) I did not taste. I worried that I might be missing prime time.
Had left the decanter in the cellar and forgot about it, so it was over 2 hours before I retrieved it and tasted. The nose was still nice, but the palate was thin with slightly bitter tannins. Now I was really worried and decided to leave it in the decanter.
We distracted ourselves with a nice champagne (La Rogerie) and left it until dinner. By now maybe a 5-6 hour decant?
Nose was incredible. Just jumped out of the glass with plummy fruit, tobacco, and all the complexity you would expect. The palate was not all the way there but still excellent, no more bitterness just lacking some intensity.
Another hour and the palate begins to fill out. Rich fruit and now some chocolate notes, delicious. Long finish. Just getting to its best but then it was gone….
No rush to drink this if you have well stored bottles but drinking exceptionally well with a long decant.
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4/25/2023 - Whitman wrote: 95 Points
Excellent broad expressive nose, first with tobacco, then cassis, graphite, lead pencil and licorice. After an hour or so it softens and has an amazing tasty, juicy and almost full-bodied palate. Seems almost more primary. A pretty long finish, thats also quite dry.
I have had this many times and it is always an excellent Cos. While its in its maturity range i guess it will last many years and might change and improve.
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4/10/2023 - timothynbond Likes this wine: 87 Points
Deep ruby to garnet color. Cigar and dried cherries on the nose. Medium body, medium-plus grippy tannins, medium-to-medium-low acid. Dried cherries and licorice on the palate, picking up some earthy, fungal flavors and iron mid-palate that overwhelmed the fruit through the finish. Fairly average aged Bordeaux.
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4/2/2023 - 560 B&W Likes this wine: 92 Points
Mature but not declining. Pretty and typical, out the QPR is rough. 13%
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3/18/2023 - PJRONeill wrote: 90 Points
Last bottle of a case bought in 2006 and actually pretty representative of the other 11 bottles - good but not great. This breathed up well enough with notes of beef broth, graphite, red fruits and sandalwood but on the palate it was stuck in third or fourth gear, not really moving beyond primary notes and with no real complexity or breadth. One or two bottles of this case have been memorable but this is unfortunately another that is just a bit of an underachiever in the context of other notes and the vintage. May be storage issues of course….
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2/26/2023 - Kellch wrote: 92 Points
Limited fruit paired with graphite. Was better without a decant
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2/18/2023 - Mjladha Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good. Better than the 1995 cos we had right before (which is past it’s prime). 96 still has good balance and fruit
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1/29/2023 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
A big grippy wine with some lovely dark fruit and classic Bordeaux tobacco/leather/pencil shavings qualities. I feel like I’m enjoying this more than last time. It seems like a better bottle, more in balance between fruit and acid/tannin. This might improve in a few more years but it’s great now with beef.
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1/18/2023 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Elegant and complex. Hedgerow fruits, tar and forest floor. Medium weight, good freshness, refined tannin with a nice grip. Long lingering finish of tar, complex. Drink now and through the next 20 years.
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1/15/2023 - jaumealaska Likes this wine: 95 Points
Mini vertical of the 96 and 05. The 96 was beautiful with expressive nose of cassis, graphite and tobacco. Medium bodied and long finish Drinking well! It was the oldest of line up of 05,06, and 2012 Bordeaux’s and Napa cab. Held us own in a strong crowd
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1/15/2023 - ASMB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking at what must be peak. All secondary notes.
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1/14/2023 - Decanting Queen Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is the best Cos I have ever had. Everything I could want from a left bank Bordeaux. Double decanted a few hours before consuming (I think). Dark youthful color, so open and intense on the nose and palate. Initial tobacco notes gave way to dark red fruit, cassis, eucalyptus, umami/soy and a strong mineral streak. Kept a glass for later in the evening and the coffee notes came out, luxurious texture, long finish. A wow wine and bested the 1996 Margaux by its side, although not by much.
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1/9/2023 - Sean Tay wrote: 94 Points
Pronounced nose intensity with leather, forest floor, cooked red and black fruits, spices, toast, incense. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin. Finish is long.
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1/9/2023 - Psdycp wrote: 93 Points
Toasty oak and black fruits with hints of gravel, graphite on the bouquet. Rich and intense on the palate. Medium-bodied structure which is open and elegant, leading to a lingering and deep finish. Ready to drink now and will continue to hold for the next 3-5 years.
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12/31/2022 - Tartiflette Likes this wine: 94 Points
An hour in the decanter. What a lovely classic Cos. Not so fruit driven now but more all the other aromas that I like about this wine. Cedar, cassis, tobacco, liquorice, ink and leather. All in a velvety melange. Medium aftertaste. In its prime but will live for long still.
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12/30/2022 - Lype Likes this wine: 95 Points
Open, attractive cedar driven inky bouquet, very Left Bank. The palate is classic and regal, dark cassis, tobacco, cedar, (non-modern) oak spice, minerals and inky notes. Superbly elegant, velvety and satiny character. The good acidity provides classy freshness which complements this perfectly. The aftertaste is deceptively light and gentle but long. I prefer this over the 1990 and the 1995 which both are more ripe and have lower acidity (and 40 % Merlot whereas the 1996 has 35 %). The 2000 is promising but too young at this point. This is a true Grand Vin which is drinking perfectly now but will last many years. A privilege to taste this indeed.
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12/26/2022 - Sean Tay wrote: 94 Points
Pronounced nose intensity with leather, forest floor, cooked red and black fruits, spices, toast, incense. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin. Finish is long.
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12/15/2022 - Andronicus wrote: 95 Points
very smooth, elegant for a cos
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11/27/2022 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
Similar to last experience. There’s some nice fruit here but the tannins are still quite powerful. Not sure if this will come into balance. Enjoy now with a juicy steak.
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11/26/2022 - boillatm Likes this wine: 93 Points
A cosy evening with family: Opened 45 minutes before drinking.
Great nose of mature Bordeaux. On the palate, all in balance with earthy notes and a long finish. Unfortunately the wine felt a bit hollow in midpalate. Very good, but not great.
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11/13/2022 - Papies wrote: 96 Points
Dinner with Nicola Biasi (The Papies, Elizabeth St, London): its been a long time since we crossed pats with the old friend. 8 whole years (Papies 92) and now this albeit still youthful and energetic is at the plateau of its peak.
We all said this is young! impressively so too. But its also a magnificent wine, with all the hallmarks of the classic 1996 left bank and that ever beautiful soft austerity and minerality of St Estephe. This is not a loud wine this is elegance personified for those who like us love the style of classic well aged St Estephe. Its no bellarina either as it has presence and strength. A magnificent wine and a privilege. 95-96
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11/12/2022 - Ricky99 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Last bottle and the best of the bunch.. so much depth of flavor and an awesome nose of licorice, leather. Super tasty right out of bottle and then last glass two hours later
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10/16/2022 - Michal A Likes this wine: 94 Points
Excellent wine, earthy notes with a silky texture and long finish.
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10/6/2022 - mchern02 wrote: 95 Points
Decanted and hit stride at about hour 3
Classic aromas of smokey wet tobacco, graphite, cedar, violet, gravel, light plum, blueberry, and some green vegetable notes. Palate is alive…well balanced and lengthy, with great grip, density, and reach. Not overtly dense but enticing nonetheless with long finish (60-90 seconds or more), particularly on the back.
This vintage continues to be one I love and this is another example why, and at 13%!. In peak window but no rush here. Classic!! 94-95
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9/25/2022 - CGandur Likes this wine: 97 Points
Consumed with a rib of beef. Brilliant. Smooth, complex - a total delight
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9/21/2022 - PC99 wrote: 95 Points
Decanted 15 mins.
Nose: floral, elegant, berries, perfume, leather.
Palate: Berries, anis seed, some spice.
In perfect spot, at the peak. Perfect and balance.
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8/24/2022 - micheal0811 Likes this wine: 94 Points
In an absolute perfect spot. Drink now. Today.
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8/5/2022 - merlotsmile Likes this wine: 95 Points
Grand
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8/4/2022 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 91 Points
Quite a different wine from when last tasted. Cedar and leather nose, some raspberries, a tinge of chocolate and varnish. Relatively light in weight, lovely freshness and texture. Not especially complex but perfect balance. Still a bit hot on the nose though.
Bit foursquare by the standards of the vintage, but still immensely drinkable. A recent Pichon Baron of the same year was better.
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7/28/2022 - BStanton Likes this wine:
Perfumed, persistent firm grainy powerful tannin. Finish is waves of crescendoing truffle
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7/17/2022 - iobtoel Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is cruising. Perfumed, elegant nose which continues onto the palate. Fruit still present but some developing tertiary notes, graphite, flint, truffle and chocolate. Fine tannins. In a very good place.
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6/23/2022 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
In line with my note from a year ago, this is at its absolute peak, and it is interesting how evolved the vintage is. You could be forgiven for mistaking this for a wine decade older. Showing secondary and tertiary notes this has a classic taste profile with blackcurrant, plum, old leather and cedar prominent. It shows excellent depth and balance with only the finish not quite up there with the rest of the experience.
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6/5/2022 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
Possible bottle variation here but this came off more astringent than my last experince. There’s still some nice dried red fruit, cigar, and wet earth notes. However, there’s an acidic and tannic quality that combine to clip the finish and give a rough texture on the palate. Maybe this is on its decline or an off bottle. Need to try again soon.
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5/22/2022 - Kevnzworld wrote: 95 Points
2 hour decant at Andrea’s house.
Great balance, fruit of dark berries and tobacco.
A great aged Bordeaux .
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5/21/2022 - liber Likes this wine: 92 Points
3rd of 13, opened 2 hours and decanted one hour, perfect cork and level, regressed and rather dumb since my last bottle in July 15 though better on nose, all the right elements and enough fruit I think to cope with the tannins, strong vanilla scent on opening suggests over-oaked, upside and 25+ years. Downgraded to F (17.5).
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5/14/2022 - ikkaariainen Likes this wine: 96 Points
I cannot imagine this wine ever being in a better drinking window then right now. Enjoyed with close wine friends tonight who brought the bottle. Before writing this TN I reviewed my previous TN on this wine from '08 and '09 and note evolution to the peak of the drinking window has occurred but no revolution. Drink or hold - no further upside expected with more cellaring but on the other hand this wine has at least 3-5 more excellent years to go with proper cellaring. Popped and poured and if possible would recommend a short 30-60 minute decant. Completely integrated, oak and tannins essentially gone and moderately long beautiful aftertaste present. Nose up front of controlled barnyard and musk which blew off quickly with remaining dark cherry, garrigue and tobacco. Primary flavors now increasingly secondary with minimal dark fruit and cassis still present up front with an earthier stone, leather, tar and anise developing. A truly classic high end well aged L bank Bdx. Highly recommend with caveat that any remaining holdings need to drunk up relatively soon.
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4/17/2022 - eboracum Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cos, with the exception of its 1953 and 1985, has never really captivated me. It tends to be robust and savoury but a bit short on the incredible elegance and charm of its equivalents from Pauillac, Saint-Julien and Margaux. This 1996 is a case in point. Still vigorous in colour and body, it was open for business on the nose and palate with savoury tinged fruit, good depth, earthy hints, smooth texture, good balancing acidity and still firm but ripe tannic structure supporting a decently long finish. There is plenty of life left here. So very good but it is missing that bit extra that I found in recent years in, say, Pichon-Lalande 1966 and Léoville-Poyferré 1982.
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4/11/2022 - Everything Ahead wrote: 94 Points
This bottle showing even better than the previous, although still a strong element of "bottle funk" (sort of a reductive, animalistic, bretty admixture). This does take a backseat eventually to the most perfect note of a smoldering coal fire that permeates and defines this wine. I love that note, but maybe not to everyone's tastes. There is smoothness on the finish and surprisingly refreshing acidity. This was decanted 4 hrs and followed over 24 hrs. It fell apart a bit the second night. I would drink any remaining ones over the next 5 years ideally. It is a delightful wine, and sad to say this was our final bottle ...
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4/10/2022 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Great wine, had a few badly stored bottles recently but this was flying. Surprisingly big and rich, lots of tar and bramble. Deeply layered and so complex. Long finish. Drinking now will last for decades.
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3/6/2022 - Javachip Likes this wine: 95 Points
Allowed to breathe in glass 1 hour. Clear deep garnet red color. Lovely fresh bouquet of black and red berries, cherries, and their liqueurs; fresh violets, walnuts, pencil shavings, gravel, hints of pipe tobacco. Similar on the palate, seamless, beautiful balance, polished, silk-satin mouth feel. Improved with air, seems vigorous, with many great years ahead. Another experienced taster said this was as good as 1996 Chateau Latour tasted last month.
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2/14/2022 - CabIsKing wrote:
Drank on Valentine’s Day ! The best Cos D Estournel I have ever drank!!!
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12/31/2021 - Nothung Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened about 8 hours and then decanted shortly before serving. Drinking really well right now.
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12/25/2021 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 96 Points
Spectacular with this year’s rib roast. Complex flavors of stone, tart cherry and cigar leaves.
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12/4/2021 - RockinCabs wrote: 95 Points
Nose: Beautiful red berries, cherry fruit, graphite, earth and rich coffee notes. Wonderful as always. Palate: middle weight with exceptional balance. Pencil, cherry, wet each and mineral notes. Finish: lengthy, coffee, graphite and red fruit.
Remains a benchmark Cos under Prats in my opinion.
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11/13/2021 - merlotsmile Likes this wine: 94 Points
Grand
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11/5/2021 - S1 Likes this wine:
Chas Offlineorama VI, Another embarrassment of riches; 11/3/2021-11/7/2021 (Various locations): (From Mag) Very soft with great crowd-pleasing cotton candy sweetness, dried red fruit and soft tannins. Bottle disappeared quickly.
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11/5/2021 - MC2 Wines Likes this wine:
Charleston VI; 11/3/2021-11/7/2021 (Charleston, SC (various locations)): Austere as it often is but also really quite nice and vibrant. There's a bit of green notes in the way that I like. Earthy. A bit peppery. From a magnum. Drinking very well.
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10/12/2021 - whits Likes this wine: 95 Points
what a special bottle of wine, decanted for over two hours, the nose shows some leather, dried cherries, herbs and a hint of smoke, immediately I noticed how bracing the acidity was, it lifts the wine high, and carries flavors of blackberry, tobacco, sage, cassis, and earth effortlessly, very much in the zone and with plenty of years ahead, paired with braised short rib stew
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9/24/2021 - Everything Ahead wrote: 92 Points
I've seen a number of recent tasting notes on this vintage, and as I've been sitting on it for a while decided to pop one ... A bit of "bottle funk" blows off with some time in the decanter ( 1 hr or so) to reveal a very balanced, almost mature Cos. I'll give the remaining bottle another few years though to further develop those secondary spice qualities. A delicious bordeaux though for sure. (Strangely enough, this vintage to my palate seems less evolved than a 2000 Cos which was drinking amazingly a few years back)
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9/21/2021 - Rex66 wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for 90 minutes before my first sip, then consumed over about five hours. A bit of funk initially on the nose, but blew off to show heady black fruit and earthy baking spice aromas. On the palate, blackberry dominates, framed by a well resolved tannic grip and zingy acid that rolls on through the long finish. Superbly balanced and surprisingly youthful for a 25-year old wine. Really good stuff. Drinking so nicely now but these will definitely hold for a very long time to come.
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9/11/2021 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 96 Points
This was even better than my previous bottles, but it might have been the friends with whom we drank the bottle that made it feel more special. Flavor notes are all the same as previous notes.
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9/10/2021 - Myownscale wrote: 85 Points
Nose:
funk, some alcohol, funk
Palate:
fruits, some dry, funk, hard to describe, maybe leather, tannin, a little veggie, olive
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8/28/2021 - WeiT wrote: 95 Points
Always perfect, I have gone through 6 bottles in 3 months now! Pop and pour, pepper, wet earth, dark fruits on the nose, zingy mid palate, amazing finish - what more could one ask for!
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8/8/2021 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 95 Points
Pronounced nose of mushroom, barnyard, fig, black plum. Medium+ acidity and medium tannin. Well balanced and in prime drinking window. Decanting will help.
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7/30/2021 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous. Intense concentrated, bramble. Lots of earth, leather, smoky oak. Long complex. Drink now and over the next 20 years.
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7/10/2021 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 2.5 hours and followed for several more. Paired with Spencer steaks and mushrooms. Opaque ruby garnet. Nose of soulful green, currant, cassis, cedar, raw flowers. Layers of dark currant, graphite, nuanced tobacco, green pepper, and fine soil on the velvet-textured palate. Spiny acidity and smoothed, feathered tannin. Long finish of echoing red fruit, green, and sweet earth. Lovely wine.
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7/5/2021 - Grand Amateur wrote: 93 Points
Upon opening at 14:00: Very slight brett. Smooth, generous fruit. The tannins are smooth too. 20:30. Quite nice. No brett. Very straight. But not as good as Léoville Barton 1996 opened at 14:00 too.
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6/28/2021 - Stefan75 Likes this wine: 96 Points
From Mag, similar to last years bottle but nose seems to have improved further! No decant needed but improves with air, few tertiary notes so several years left but in such a great place right now that it is hard to imagine this wine can further improve...
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6/27/2021 - mnoljo wrote: 93 Points
Many years of life ahead. Hints of pine tar, earth and tobacco. Tannins shorten the finish.
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6/27/2021 - Vino Me Likes this wine: 92 Points
Opened by Mark. 6th time I’ve had this. 92 points
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6/26/2021 - WeiT Likes this wine: 95 Points
Palate much more impressive than nose as others have called out, classic example of aged Bordeaux, loved it, has everything! Pop and pour
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6/17/2021 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has further developed over the last 12 months, and is at its absolute peak. Dark berry fruits, cedar and tobacco pervade but strawberry notes are now also apparent. The previous leanness on the palate has been addressed as the secondary notes have further evolved and tertiary characteristics are emerging, and the finish is excellent. It still benefits from an hour or two in the decanter to blow off any barnyard funk. 94+
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6/12/2021 - mblatino Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep garnet red with brownish edges.
Youthful nose with pencil led, dark fruit and spice and tobacco.
Elegant on the palate and well balanced. Nice chewy tannins. Dark fruit, nice fresh red fruit, leather, balsamic and spice.
Still very youthful.
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6/5/2021 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
This is very classic, chiseled Bordeaux with a crisp lean texture but there are also ripe dark fruits with a very Cos profile of sweet gravel, graphite minerals and oriental spices. Finishes quite complex with notes of tar and gun smoke. A beautiful, terroir-driven Cos and I believe well-stored bottles of this will continue to develop for another decade or more. Very succulent and satisfying especially with a charred steak. Decanted 3 hours and it needed every bit of it. 94+
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5/31/2021 - sirpat00 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Double-decanted. Another splendid bottle, this time fortunately as number 4 in the line-up rather than number 8. The sweet red cherry and blueberry fruit core is orbited by mushrooms, truffles, wet forest floor and tobacco flavours. Also floral aromas of violets. Round on the palate with a silky texture, fully integrated tannin and sufficiently fresh acidity. This is exactly what I need my Bordeaux to be like.
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5/30/2021 - UFGators wrote: 96 Points
This was a pristine bottle and cork came out with normal corkscrew. Primary flavors still alive with a beautiful fruit core. Red currant, strawberry and black cherry. Medium acidity and medium intensity on nose and pallet. Long finish. Secondary aromas and flavors of smoke and tertiary flavors of Forrest floor, tobacco and leather. No decant needed!
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5/13/2021 - sirpat00 wrote: 96 Points
Double-decanted briefly. Although already quite in a good mood and senses clouded by this being bottle number 8 in a lunch that got slightly out of hand, I think I hit a perfect bottle. Amazing array of aging notes including forest floor, leather, tobacco were pinched by precise fruit of blueberries and dark cherry. The palate was sensual, silky and perfectly integrated leading to a long, leathery finish.
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4/24/2021 - KeithAkers wrote: 94 Points
A evening of 20+ year old Bordeaux (Wilmette Harbor Club, Wilmette IL): The nose is old-school Cos in all of it's glory as it fills the glass with tones of cedar, cigar wrappers, dark red cherries, cranberries, licorice, mint, cassis, kirsch, earth notes, and some toast. There is great depth and expression with a slightly rustic side that has a bit of elegance. The Full bodied feel is well balanced and deep with medium acidity and silky, medium+ tannins and a lengthy finish. The feel is where this really shines as there is excellent layering and balance. This is in a perfect place. There is a rustic quality that adds in some perfume and elegance with a bit of nuance.
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4/16/2021 - DickMull Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice oaky nose with warm reddish fruit and forest floor. Palate had nice acidity on the front, followed by more red fruit, with some chalk and minerals. The tannins were somewhat drying on the finish, altho after about 3 hours it was very silky for a St. Estephe. I think has plenty of life left.
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4/15/2021 - Kepos Likes this wine: 95 Points
opened 3 hours before drinking, very Bordeaux, some barn/animalistic notes at the beginning, changed into dark berries, cassis, round tannins, some sweet spots paired perfectly well with some acidity, great depths, still young but drinks really well already. Lots of fun
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3/17/2021 - Philip67 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Slightly musty nose, Coravin nearly blew the cork out of the bottle - so perhaps not in perfect condition. Elegant classic Bordeaux balance of fruit and structure. Blackberry and cassis, leather, oak and underbrush. mid-weight, high-ish acidity, nice non-aggressive tannic grip. Long and complex. Still young, drink now and over the next 20 years.
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2/28/2021 - Vinewanderers Likes this wine:
Tasted blind and immediately knew this was special. Should have known this was Cos but I think I ended up guessing Pape Clement... was even thinking Brunello at one point, even though the color didn't match. Classic Bordeaux notes: dark fruits, cigar box, a bit of barnyard. The aroma is layered and quite intense. One of my favorite Cos vintages and, in my book, a top notch left bank. Grade: A−
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2/22/2021 - Pknut wrote:
Really good showing, lots of blue-black currant and some cassis, overlaying a nice graphite and earthy core. The sides are softening, but this is still a young wine, very '96 in that it is generous and friendly, has a supple palate, yet plenty of underlying power. Many years to go. With Jim W at Dagon on the Upper West Side, a new Israeli place, which we enjoyed.
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2/5/2021 - Miceri Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quite closed taking some time to open somewhat up; not as charming, inviting and fruity as the Comtesse same year also tasted; once it started to show, a nice “correct” Bordeaux with good length; overall impression fine and nice, but no blockbuster - and not sure it will improve with more time
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1/29/2021 - merlotsmile Likes this wine: 94 Points
Grandilund
Fortfarande ung men fönstret är öppet
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1/1/2021 - peetee Likes this wine: 95 Points
Opened on a whim to herald in the New Year! Double decanted for 1 hour. Beautiful condition... gorgeous tension between spiciness and dark fruits... feels perfect point to pop the ‘96 Cos.. beautiful sweet mid palate. Great length. Maybe the nose fades a little early but taste goes on and on... lonely wine!
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12/29/2020 - Sean Tay Likes this wine: 95 Points
Had a 1990s blind tasting Bordeaux theme. Key observation was that despite different individual palate, drinking experiences and how food will impair/change the wines, like previous tasting together; the WOTN and the least preferred is always the most distinctive and obvious. Leaving the rest to individual taste. Also, based on RP vintage chart, 1996 is extraordinary vintage; 96 pointer with remarks of still tannic, youthful or slow to mature. Sometime, off vintage might be a better choice for its readiness and price point.
Bottle 1: 1994 Chateau Latour
Medium garnet in colour, tight nose with grippy tannin. Nose of red/black fruits, oak, toast. Medium+ acidity and high tannin. Decanted for 1 hour. Poor vintage for Bordeaux and show that even in poor vintage, the winemaker still can blend and produce good wine. Will not improve and should drink up to enjoy.
Bottle 2: 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild
Medium garnet in colour, savoury, mushroom, wet forest, red/black fruits, toast, oak, toast. Silky in the palate. Could guess it’s most probably early 90s. Very enjoyable. Did not decant. My thought aftermath was should drink up and will not improve.
Bottle 3: 1996 Chateau d’Estournel
The taste is way better than the nose. Infact felt that the nose was rather closed. On the palate, its mellow, smooth and elegant. Blackcurrant, black fruits, with some toast notes. It lost out due to the nose. Decanted for 1 hour. Previously when tasting d’Estournel I remember always tasting smoky, toast, oaky notes. Should drink up now, in its drinking window.
Bottle 4: 1993 Chateau Angelus
Deep garnet in colour. Nose is pronounced of all. Savoury, wet forest, black fruits, oak, toast. Medium+ acidity and high tannin. Though high tannin, it is resolved and smooth in the palate. Double decanting for approximately 1 hour. Another poor vintage but performing at its peak. Surprisingly, based on the notes, it can still probably improve and can be kept easily 5-10 years.
Bottle 5: 1996 Leoville Las Cases
Deep garnet in colour. Nose is restrained. More red fruits than black fruits. High tannin and acidity. Very grippy tannin. Slow ox for 2 hours. Personally felt that Las Cases should be showing better than this. Should benefit if it’s decant longer. I felt that it’s in the early drinking window and will improve with more cellar time.
Bottle 6: 1996 Pichon Baron
Deep garnet in colour. Nose is poorest compare to all. Full of green, mint, pepper, some slight tints of black fruits. High acidity and tannin. It did not perform well despite a good vintage and wine producer. Probably due to not decanting ahead. Will definitely improve with decanting and cellar time.
Bottle 7: 1996 Carrudes de Lafite
Deep garnet in colour. Pronounced notes of red/black fruits, savoury notes.
High tannin and acidity. Tannin is smooth in the palate. Did not decant. Drinking very well and will improve with 1-2 hours of decanting. In its optimum drinking window and also will benefit with cellar time.
My blinded choice:
1) 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild
2) 1996 Chateau d’Estournel
3) 1993 Chateau Angelus
4) 1996 Carrudes de Lafite
5) 1994 Chateau Latour
6) 1996 Chateau Leoville Las Cases
7) 1996 Pichon Baron
The WOTN as per average consensus:
1) 1990 Chateau Mouton Rothschild, followed by
2) 1993 Chateau Angelus
3) 1996 Chateau d'Estournel
4) 1996 Carruades de Lafitte
5) 1996 Leoville Las Cases
6) 1994 Chateau Latour and lastly
7) 1996 Pichon Baron
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12/27/2020 - galewskj wrote: 95 Points
Anything Goes (Zoom): Decanted 1 hour, poured and sealed in 5 individual jars, and then drank 3 hours later via zoom. Blackberry, cherry, barnyard funk, pencil lead, cigar box, mocha, scorched earth, rose and allspice. This was a great showing for this wine.
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12/27/2020 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Virtual Holiday Wine Tasting (Home): Very dark red/purple color, 6mm transitional edge. Very dark red plus color with a 6mm transition to clear. Decanted for 1 hour, poured into vessels at 2pm and into glasses at 4pm. Drank a glass over 3 hours. Winning the award for nose of the night says something here. What a glorious perfume this exudes: earthy, barnyard, violets, potpourri, leather, cassis all intense and high toned. The palate can't quite get to the level of the nose, but that is a very high bar tonight. The youth of the palate is showing a bit, and maybe a touch more air would bring it fully together. Full bodied, well concnetrated, dark fruits, leather, grainy tannins with a little edge to them, dense pencil, earth, and leather abound. Outstanding again. Tons of time, give this a couple hours to fully blossom. My #3 WOTN, tied group #2.
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12/27/2020 - I'd Rather Be Drinking Wine Likes this wine: 96 Points
Zooming Along with Anything Goes!: Zooming along with Anything Goes
The Players: A great lineup for this tasting, which featured the following wines:
2013 Aubert Lauren Vineyard
1982 Leoville Poyferre
1996 Chateau Cos d'Estournel
1994 Dominus
2009 Bryant Family Vineyard
2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Five Shooter
2009 Suduiraut Sauternes
The Prep:
All wines were poured into jars and transported, and consumed 2-4 hours later. The following wines had additional decant times:
1996 Cos d'Estournel - 1 hour decant before pouring into jars
2009 Bryant Family - 1 hour decant before pouring into jars
2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Five Shooter - 2 hour decant before pouring into jars
Voting/Ranks:
(Group)
WOTN - 1994 Dominus
#2 (Tie) - 1982 Leoville Poyferre
#2 (Tie) - 1996 Cos d'Estournel
(My Ranking)
WOTN - 1994 Dominus
#2 - 1982 Leoville Poyferre
#3 - 1996 Cos d'Estournel
#4 - 2009 Bryant Family Vineyards Cabernet
#5 - 2010 Sine Qua Non Syrah Five Shooter
Note: only 1 point separated the top wine from the Botton wine in this group (for me)
Wine Notes:
1996 Cos d'Estournel - This wine was delicious and had the best nose, by far, of the top 3 wines. I thought this wine was drinking remarkably young, in that even for a 24 year old wine, it still seemed like it had the fruit, tannin and acidity to further improve. This wine showed a nice perfumed nose with lots of dark fruit and hints of leather on the nose. On the palate, the wine was dominated by dark fruit with graphite and wet leather, but also had some earthiness and lavender in the background. I think this wine has the potential to be a show-stopper once the tertiary flavors become more dominant. The finish was medium with mostly graphite and leather lingering. Delicious, and easily a 96, with some upside potential. If I had multiple bottles, I would not hesitate in opening with 1-2 hour decant. If I only had one bottle, I would wait another 1-2 years before opening. This wine could have easily been WOTN, and it would be hard to argue against it!
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12/24/2020 - rossi.wine wrote: 95 Points
Nicely evolved in terms of colour. On the nose open and expressive showing tobacco, cedar, graphite, undergrowth, red fruit. On the palate good acidity and fruit, slightly drying tannins. Very well balanced, very expressive and persistent. A lovely bottle! 94-96
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12/19/2020 - Guillaume-en-égypte Likes this wine:
Was a few weeks back, so no detailed notes. Bottle in perfect condition - wine into neck. Decanted for a couple of hours than drank over another couple of hours with duck breast - felt too powerful for that & clearly remember thinking that this would be better with a steak. Still lots of dense & powerful fruit and plenty of structure, although all well integrated & no hard edges. It was a very good, very enjoyable St. Estephe but burlier than I was expecting. No complaints, this was a great bottle of wine, but if this was meant to be a more elegant vintage of this wine, I am not encouraged to splash out on a 2005 etc. A much higher price bracket than I usually go for (can afford). After finishing the Cos, we opened a Demi of Batailley 2005 & it was notably fresher & maybe even my preferred wine. I am glad I had the opportunity to share a bottle of this, but at £125 I would be unlikely to buy again....I will leave off scoring, but no problem with the current average - I also think this could still have some (significant) potential upside.
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12/12/2020 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 95 Points
Nose presented as a swirl of cranberry, light cigar smoke and plumb. The palate was quite balanced with similar flavors and resolved tannins. Altogether quite stunning.
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11/12/2020 - Grand Amateur Likes this wine: 94 Points
Opened at 17:00. At 22:22: The nose is still somewhat restrained but pure, contrarily to a previous bottle, which was slightly brett. Nice, pure red fruits in the mouth. Not very long. Still some dry tannins. At 23:04:The nose is at last opening, showing tertiary components. The mouth is very satisfying, with complexity showing up. But not very concentrated. The Pontet Canet 1996 is still much better.
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11/10/2020 - MRichman wrote:
Big, dark, fully mature fruit with dried herbs, coffee, black olive, charred oak. A wonderful, brawny, strong, smooth wine with silky mouth feel, fine tannins and a bit of black acid on the finish. Good strength but not a lot of finesse. Very long finish. Fully mature and at peak drinking, will hold at this level for 5-10 years.
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10/30/2020 - merlotsmile wrote: 93 Points
Grand Hotel Lund
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10/10/2020 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux 1996 Left bank versus 1998 Right bank (more or less) (By SK In Vught Aan het Fornuis): The bouquet is more youthful than the previous wine in this tasting. It has red berries and bell pepper. On the palate still powerful with bell pepper, red berries and a lot of red berry acidity. Slightly disappointing for Cos. I have a few bottles, so there will be a follow up on this note.
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9/18/2020 - Mjladha Likes this wine: 91 Points
Always Great
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9/16/2020 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
This has really moved forward in the last 12 months, and now is firmly in its prime drinking window. Packed full of dark berry fruits, tobacco and cedar with barnyard funk, it needs a couple of hours in an open decanter to blow off the cobwebs. It has good depth and balance on the palate but I find it on the leaner side in the mouth. The finish is very good and is 30+ seconds. I think the wine has finally hit its peak and contrary to my previous assertion I am unsure of its potential longevity. 93+
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9/13/2020 - g-man wrote: 93 Points
My best bottle yet. Tanins pretty much resolved with black fruit remaining. Dare I say it has evolved into a very elegant wine. This is definately at peak and maybe cresting over.
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9/8/2020 - Collector1855 wrote: 96 Points
Wonderful barnyard nose. Polished tannins, full mouth feel. Very grand. WOTN for me on this 1996 dinner, just a tad ahead of the Cheval Blanc. 96+
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9/2/2020 - LWI wrote: 93 Points
Sweet fruit, somewhat rustic, lots of fruit, some ash after a while.
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8/17/2020 - PJRONeill wrote: 91 Points
Very enjoyable, but lacking some depth of fruit. Ultimately just too much green pepper to be more memorable.
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8/6/2020 - yinha Likes this wine: 91 Points
Generous in style and comes across as youthful, exuberant at times. Suggest revisiting in a few years
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7/26/2020 - CWang wrote: 96 Points
Another stellar bottle of 1996 Cos d'Estournel with no sign of going down the hill compared to the one tasted in 2017; so 96 points overall again at this stage; however, when tasted side by side with 1994 Dominus, a bit shy of complexity and depth in the nose and on the palate.
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7/25/2020 - guy12 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 3 hours, very smooth, minor tannins, black fruits
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7/25/2020 - Cailles wrote: 94 Points
Tasted double blind (my guess was 96 Pauillac). This Cos is drinking nicely today, although it‘s not yet at its peak with the tertiary aromatics only ever so slightly noticeable. The highlights are the sexy nose and aristocratic style. To reach the 95+ category this will need to soften further and develop more tertiary aromas. Still, nothing wrong with opening a bottle right now.
TN: Expressive nose with dark fruit, lots of minerality, and some hints of burnt sugar and coffee. Sexy and inviting. Same aromas on the palate with more minerality, pencil shavings and dark forest berries, not as charming as on the nose and with just hints of tobacco, leather popping up. Nicely precise. Tannins still noticeable with some edges which need to mellow further. Good freshness and medium+ length.
Decanting: This got 2 hours in the decanter. It could have even used 4+ hours.
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6/29/2020 - tomlee wrote: 96 Points
Crimson in color with some bricking at the edge of the glass. 13% ABV. Room filling nose of red fruits, cedar, leather and cigar box. Medium body with strong acidity. Powerful and concentrated with substantial tannins. Cassis, currants, plums, tobacco leaf and earth on the palate. The finish is long and silky. The elegance of this wine is noteworthy and becomes more pronounced after several hours in the decanter. Compelling now, but this version of Cos from the burly '96 vintage, will drink well for another decade.
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6/19/2020 - Tartiflette wrote: 93 Points
Right out of the bottle. Quite mature and lovely again. A beautiful bottle without it being outstanding. All the wonderful fragrances that I like about Bordeaux. Mature Blackberries, leather, chocolate, pepper, cedar and wet soil. Very integrated at this point but remain drinkable for long.
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6/16/2020 - Stefan75 Likes this wine: 95 Points
From Mag, perfect bottle, wonderful classical nose, good lenght opening after 1h in the bottle/no decant. Should hold several more years, great wine tonight!
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5/31/2020 - vinhonotte Likes this wine: 96 Points
Fine Wines SG - Grand Cru Discovery Pack (Delivered to Home): Deep ruby core that fades and becomes orange to the edges. Pronounced aromas of blackberry, fresh cut grass, paprika, graphite, coffee. High but softened tannins, intense blackberry fruits, grass, pepper, paprika, coffee. Very long finish, of the blackberry fruits and coffee, lasting for minutes. Excellent wine!
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5/30/2020 - kevinleeht Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark garnet. Developed with medium (+) intensity of dried flowers, forest floor, mushroom, tobacco, dried tea leaves and banyard. Full body, smooth but still plenty of developing fruits and rich flavour intensity. On the palate red fruits, hints of cassis, roses, tomato leaf, tobacco. Wine is very good quality and long finish, feels like it could develop a little more to full maturity. This was definitely a powerful vintage.
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5/15/2020 - Whisky&Wine Likes this wine: 93 Points
Consistent, delicious, and very classic Cos. Well integrated and smooth, this offers elegance with alluring spice and a tiny bit of barnyard. I have had many bottles of this over the years and thankfully still have some left. I think this still has many years of enjoyment ahead and while it may be near its peak, it has not faded at all.
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5/14/2020 - wineappreciation wrote: 92 Points
Blackberry, graphite, gravel; smooth, well-developed, good structure, resolved, and very long finish; an excellent classic claret but nothing extraordinary here
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5/5/2020 - drwine2001 wrote:
Light center with tawny edge. As before, cooler green complex aromas with a harsher fennel note sticking out a bit. Elegant weight, fine acidity, a bit of bitter chocolate, oregano, and some red fruit underneath it all. Correct, nothing wrong with it, but essentially dominated by herbaceousness and the fruit comes up short, but it is neither dried out nor overly tannic. I've had a hard time warming to this wine, and tonight was no different. Just not my cup of tea, I guess. Difficult to see it improving at this point.
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5/3/2020 - ONEFIVE Likes this wine:
Similar note to last time.
Still lovey red fruit here and plenty of time left to enjoy. Grippy tannin, medium body, and moderate acidity.
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4/17/2020 - ClaudioMac1 Likes this wine: 96 Points
The Cos is really elegant. Soft supple tannins. Earthy mushrooms. Some barnyard funk but very little. Just a hint on the nose. Tobacco. Medium light body. Nice acidity. Peak was probably 1-3 years ago though.
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4/9/2020 - KoalaHK wrote:
Drunk at the Mandarin Grill Hong Kong - The nose is this wine's hallmark. Big beautiful black fruits merge harmoniously with polished leather and even a touch of mint. I don't think this wine will ever really soften but that's what you sign up for here.
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4/2/2020 - Keith Levenberg wrote: 95 Points
Consistent with my 7/2018 note. A little bit autumnal at first but it freshens up and finds its fruit in the decanter. Then it features a deep black complexion with a touch of spicy cedar and an exquisitely silky texture.
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4/1/2020 - Tartiflette Likes this wine: 93 Points
Decanted a few hours after tasting it. In a great mature place. Even though it is "over the top" it fortunately retains its greatness a long time. Not much acidity left but lovely tannins still evident. Such a soft velvety texture. Dark cherries, strawberries, chocolate, cedar, asian spices, wet stones and forest floor. I am sure I would have preferred to drink this a few years ago but it will still be a super drink for many years.
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3/29/2020 - HENNO1 wrote: 92 Points
Big and rich - tobacco, liquorice etc. It was nice but not as good as other 96s I have had - Las Cases 96 is much better.
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2/29/2020 - willfab60 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Very good Bordeaux from St. Estephe region . Love the complexity.
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2/23/2020 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
A perfectly stored bottle - a wonderful Cos nose of smoky graphite minerals, tobacco and Asian spices. This is a leaner, more traditional style of Cos which is not necessarily a bad thing; it's just a matter of personal taste. There are deep flavors of black and red fruits with a crisp but layered texture with notes of graphite minerals and sweet coal dust. The finish is succulent and fresh with a developing complexity and that black Asian spice thing so particular to this vineyard. Medium-bodied and quite fine with upside from here based on limited tertiaries. 93+
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2/6/2020 - Verb Likes this wine: 93 Points
dark red, brick rim without much orange - beautiful nose of dark berry fruits, with moderate cigar box complexity - full rich mouth with hard tannins and good acidity - fruit falls off substantially in the finish, which is short and somewhat bitter (not that noticeable with food as by itself) - a good but not great 96, but nonetheless drinking very well now
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1/27/2020 - Sleepy Dave wrote:
This taste a tad older than what it should be, according to my previous experiences. A tad funky, barn, leather with some secondary fruits. Leaner on the palate, light duty tannin, some sweet and more secondary fruits, decent length.
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1/5/2020 - bordeauxmartini wrote: 92 Points
Barnyard, fruit is fading but still very enjoyable.
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12/25/2019 - Richard P Howden wrote: 90 Points
Great balance but a lot more green pepper than the last bottle. Still quite good.
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11/30/2019 - Lipsman wrote: 95 Points
Engaging aromas of barnyard and earth. A tang of black cherries follows in the taste, plums, initially a bit thin in complexity but good length. At first too much tang and not enough fruit, but with a 90 minute decant another wine emerges, full bodied and fully fleshed. Could age for another decade. A real treat. From a magnum.
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11/16/2019 - Mjladha Likes this wine: 91 Points
A bit subdued. Truffles, black currants...is this receding a bit? I swear 95 was better last time.
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10/28/2019 - Nothung Likes this wine: 93 Points
A good, not great Cos D’Estournel, but even a good Estournel is a pretty special bottle of wine.
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10/27/2019 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 92 Points
The last wine of the night (bottle #17) so take this review with a grain of salt. An impulsive pop and pour with no decant. I knew better because the ‘96 vintage of Cos has always been a tannic beast compared to the more hedonistic and open for business ‘95 vintage of Cos. It is a great wine and would have warranted a much higher score had it been properly decanted. I recommend a solid 3 hour decant for this wine to allow it to open up.
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10/19/2019 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
The aromatics capture the wines mature essence with its earthy wet forest floor, tobacco leaf, cigar box and bright red fruits. There is lift in the fruit, coupled with a leafy, red berry assortment in the finish. This is probably close to fully mature, where it should remain for at least 15 or more years before entering its slow decline.
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10/13/2019 - patatty Likes this wine: 94 Points
Nose and taste of sea salt, tea leaves, nuttiness and dark chocolate. Long finish. Tannins should soften more with aging.
The wine looks garnet colored. The legs are slow. It smells like mineral, espresso, cedar, walnut and chocolate. It tastes like espresso, mint, walnut and chocolate. The body is full. The wine has fleshy texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity.
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9/19/2019 - prof b wrote: 95 Points
Still fairly young but showing plenty as well. Lots of red fruits with some graphite. This has a long future ahead of it.
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9/15/2019 - Alex Choi wrote: 88 Points
Pale ruby with orange rim. Nose of wet earth, barnyard and cassis. Strong attack and strong acidic, tannins is smooth and balanced palate. The strongest earthy note I tasted so far, not much red or black fruit, long finish with a bit sweet taste at last. Aged well and need 20 to 30 min decant to open up. My first Cos, a special style that did not meet before, perhaps even better to serve with red meat.
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9/7/2019 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 95 Points
For me this was in a perfect drinking window. The bottle was well-preserved and the cork was in excellent shape. We poured through an Ullo filter and decanted for 20 mins or so. Nose was of soft leather, tarragon and fried peppers. On the palate, I noticed some black pepper, cranberry relish and dried cherry. The two of us drank it over some grilled lamb.
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9/5/2019 - djhammond Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is not as developed as many of the left bank wines from 1996, but is now firmly in its drinking window. The nose and palate are all about dark berry fruits and tobacco with a faint cedar background developing in the last year. It is a very robust wine with prominent tannin, albeit resolved, and with a steely finish,but it does lack the elegance of the outstanding vintages. However, it is perfectly balanced with great depth in the mouth and on the finish. With its structure this should be able to last for the next 20 years plus, and as the tertiary flavours continue to develop, it may lose some of its harsher edges.
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8/17/2019 - Simoncino wrote: 95 Points
Perfect wine. Owned and enjoyed many bottles of the 1996 in the past. Revisited today thanks to Joel (note below). It underscores why Cos is one of my favorite Bordeaux producers. Again, textbook.
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8/17/2019 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Double decanted for 30 min, med. ruby with a slight brick rim, classic Bordeaux nose of red fruit with leather & a touch of tobacco, black med. tannins, long finish; delicious & ready to drink
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7/22/2019 - chatters wrote:
Airoldi Fine Wines Winter Tasting (Oak Barrel, Elizabeth Street, Sydney): Soy sauce, Asian five spice, biscuit, toast, liquorice, slightly brambly, earthy, cheesy. ON the palate it's still a little tannic, fruit pretty much all gone, savoury. A little forward for me for it's age and it's quality.
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7/20/2019 - TexasBob Likes this wine: 94 Points
Deep red with slight browning at the edges under the light. Strong, rare steak juices and black raspberries on the nose. Silky texture with delicious notes of steak juice, mushy-ripe raspberries, super-delicious finish with mixed black berries that evolves quite a while. Deep, nuanced, and delicious; my only complaint is that the texture is a little watery.
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7/3/2019 - nywine68 wrote: 94 Points
Licorice and tar. Dark and brooding. Eucalyptus and mint. Very smooth viscous mouthfeel but with plenty of structure to hold it together. Beautiful mature Bordeaux nose.
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7/1/2019 - Barry Rothof wrote: 94 Points
BBQ & Wines (Oegstgeest, NL): Very savoury character, dense with lovely and ripe tannin, dark tea leaves, green olives, dark berries and fresh acidity. Balanced, long and serious.
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6/28/2019 - Burgaddict wrote:
Lovely mature Bordeaux. Expressive nose, red and dark fruit, lots of herbs, spice. In taste also some graphite, well integrated tannins, long finish.
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6/21/2019 - CarpeDiem! wrote: 90 Points
Don't let yourself fool by big labels. Sit down calmly and honestly "listen" to your own tongue. Yet another Cos who fails to impress. A charming nose, certainly, with cedar, leather and some exotic spices. Medium bodied in the mouth, with mature, black currant, cedar, leather and some cinnamon in the background, this St. Estèphe remains hesitant, austere, with high acidity levels in the finish. So overall a "passed", but don't pay today's prices.
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6/19/2019 - Som-Geo Likes this wine: 95 Points
Gorgeous, balanced and subtle with lots of dark fruit and earthiness. While the 2005 Cos hooked me on Bordeaux 5+ years ago, I recognize the 05 has years left to maturity, albeit still my favorite Cos, I thoroughly enjoyed the 1996 - without food, perfect by itself.
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6/16/2019 - drwine2001 wrote:
Ruby except for lighter extreme rim. Complex herbal oriented nose, especially thyme and oregano. Elegant medium weight, tart dark cherry fruit, lots of green notes, black olive, creosote, perfect acidity, and tannin to burn. It never showed any real volume or sweetness of fruit. Proper claret, still youthful but somehow not terribly exciting. It could go another 15 years at this level.
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6/15/2019 - bordeaux456 Likes this wine: 95 Points
Perfectly preserved cork, not brittle at all. Upon opening, lighter purple colour than expected. On the nose, the wine was very fragrant, notes of spring flowers and allspice. Lovely. As this opened up it started to show is true potential and provided deep dark red fruit flavours and a very long finish. This wine is superb. Well into it’s prime now but I think there are 10 more years of incredible drinking here. One thing to note, the sediment in this bottle was quite heavy.
95
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5/31/2019 - Aspenhawk Likes this wine: 93 Points
Great wine right now. Open and enjoy or keep for 10 more
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5/18/2019 - advinm41 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Cork was well preserved, decanted for 30 min, purple color, light sediment. Nose of dark fruits: blackberry, cherry, blueberry, barnyard, pencil lead, cedar, mocha, flowers such as rose, earth and allspice. Very fragrant wine indeed! Very silky, smooth on the palate, dark fruits, vanilla, chocolate, some pepper. Very balanced texture. Tannins are well integrated and fine grained but still present. Good acidity as well. Finish is medium too long. Overall outstanding Cos and I enjoyed it very much! Drink now or hold for few more years
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3/17/2019 - Simply Wine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drinking like a beautiful middle aged St Estephe with great depth and complexity through the palate and nice liveliness.
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3/9/2019 - paulst Likes this wine: 90 Points
Light nose; abrupt; light cedar and some semi=sweet blackberry; earthy center; earthy soft finish.
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3/3/2019 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfect bottle. 3 hour decant. Very silky and fine with classic flavors of dark fruits, tar and graphite minerals. Really savory at this point with a medium body and a beautiful finish with notes of dark earth and coal dust. A beautiful wine for drinking now but probably more complexity to come as the tertiaries develop further. 94+
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2/26/2019 - Sean Tay wrote:
The wine looks garnet colored. It smells like blackberry, blueberry, forest floor, mushroom, toast and black pepper.
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2/22/2019 - SMagowan wrote: 94 Points
Delicious and ageing well.
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2/18/2019 - jdlee1232 wrote: 95 Points
Subtle and elegant.
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2/15/2019 - Vino Me wrote: flawed
Opened by Mark. No formal notes other than a funky nose. Creamy texture with some leather and grape skin notes but this was flawed.
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2/3/2019 - ONEFIVE wrote:
PnP
Garnet edge. Ruby core. Youthful.
A bit of Brett/funk blows off leading to aromas of black cherry, ripe raspberry, cassis, leather, dust, and a touch of green character.
On the palate - wow - the attack is loaded with silky fruit. It tightens on the mid palate where moderate acidity and grippy tannin dominate. This will likely open up beautifully though. Hold for another 2-3 years and drink over another 10 or so.
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1/19/2019 - michigan dogs Likes this wine: 95 Points
Doug's wine. One of the best Bordeaux's I've had, just delightful. Fruit was muted, soy?, but very well balanced and quite enjoyable. No signs of bricking and I would guess it still has years left.
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1/12/2019 - jrh82 Likes this wine: 93 Points
This was a fun flight when Cos 96 showed a diagonally opposite style than what Ducru 96 did. Here we got a powerhouse of a wine, dense and with very complex fruit image of both dark and red berries. Maybe even tiny bit of balsamic tone. Where Ducru knew exactly where it was to be styled, this was a little more all over the place. More of everything. As it got air in the glass I think it gave some interesting spice as well. A "flamboyant" wine. Some mixed opinions about this wine. I liked it better than most in the group and think it makes a good figure in the genre "big and powerful"
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12/31/2018 - jsebiri wrote:
Pretty one-dimensional wine, maybe in a dumb stage, not enough things going on, all in all, a hi-end wine in a tough spot right now.
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12/27/2018 - BornToRhone Likes this wine: 94 Points
Friend brought this to the restaurant where we met up. He had decanted it for sediment and left open for a bit. Still a very strong purple color with little bricking. Fabulous open nose of raspberry, forest floor, and a slate-like or graphite character. Palate of lots of dark red fruits with earthy, minerals quality, and pretty much perfect acidity. This wine is open for business now but should even get better in 5+ yrs. Fun time!
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12/26/2018 - Champagneinhand Likes this wine:
This was very nice, predominantly red fruited, but with some dark plum from the merlot and a touch of crane de cassis. Thus wine was drinking very nicely. Tannins were mostly resolved but still enough to let you know they were there. Good structure of acid and mineral, especially on the finish where the mineral almost tasted gravelly. Earthly, some aromas and taste of integrated oak, in the form of dark cocoa is present.
I did decent this and removed the small amount of sediment from the bottle before pouring the wine back in a taking it to the restaurant. It seemed initially closed when I opened the bottle but aromas were quick to come forth once the wine had been poured into the decanter. The wine was a nice opaque garnet in color.
I think this wine could cellar a good 10 more years if the cellar is a damp cool one. The cork had very little sine going up into it. Along with the fruit, acid, oak tannin, I can’t see this degrading any time soon. A very nice Cos.
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12/23/2018 - Big Bad Voodoo Daddy wrote: 93 Points
I had a choice between 86 and 96 Cos, and went with the latter at the recommendation of the sommelier. The wine had been stored very well and showed as such. Still alive, but displayed characteristics of an older vintage such as benzene on the nose and tongue. Overall satisfied but not overly wowed.
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12/21/2018 - ekstephan Likes this wine:
Nice to drink on its own.
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12/19/2018 - Nels+ Likes this wine: 94 Points
Diese Mischung von junger frucht, pencil, cassis, brombeere, leder, bouillon, rossstall und die Balance zwischen Üppigkeit und Wärme mit Leder und Graphit, Bleistift und Mineralik ist grandios.
BoW 19/20
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12/15/2018 - isdblm@lsu.edu Likes this wine:
Been 4 years since last--still wondrous. WOTN among 7 other fine Bordeaux. Smooth and tasty, w the usual Cos markings. Having started w an '06 and going thru an '08, both outstanding in their own right, the qualitative advance was highly conspicuous.
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12/8/2018 - Bigtuna Likes this wine: 93 Points
Opened, decanted, back in bottle - started tasting 2 hours later with duck breast and lamb chops. At beginning of tasting - well balanced, silky tannins, however a little bitter on the finish. Two hours more in the glass - bitterness gone. 93 on this bottle
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11/29/2018 - deverett wrote: 94 Points
Wonderful wine, pure expression of left bank Bordeaux. I was expecting a heavier wine but this was bang on, medium to full bodied, beautiful nose of cedar, leather and pencil shaving. Soft and fully integrated, smooth with ultra fine tannins, blackberries, hint of spice. Perfect with lamb cutlets. In a great drinking window now with legs to kick on.
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11/24/2018 - SMagowan wrote: 95 Points
Great tasting wine that will last another 15-20 years.
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11/24/2018 - Richard P Howden Likes this wine: 92 Points
Cinnamon, earth, cassis dark red fruit nose. Rich dark earthy dark cherry flavors, a little pepper on the long nicely balanced finish. Great wine showing incredible poise, classicism.
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11/10/2018 - Serge Birbrair Likes this wine:
my WOTN
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11/9/2018 - Romol wrote: flawed
Bottle was flawed (corked). Ouch...
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11/7/2018 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
In its drinking window, but not as forward as most left bank wines from the vintage, it could be mistaken for a 1995. The nose is mature with dark berry fruits and tobacco,. On the palate the wine is developed, but retaining a robust tannic edge. The palate is multi-layered, and in perfect balance, and the finish likewise. Lengthy decanting is recommended, but the wine is ready to be enjoyed now. 94+
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10/26/2018 - _water.into.wine_ Likes this wine: 92 Points
A deep intensity with dark purple and ruby hues. Still youthful and filled with blackcurrants. Medium tannins. Balanced and layered. I thought right bank. Still quite tight. And little secondary or tobacco aromas. Give it even more time! Will last decades. Served by Gordon at Kelvins
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10/26/2018 - the player Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very dusty nose when first opened and decanted, ruby red with dark core and bricking at the rims. Drank over 2 hours the wine gained complexity and volume with time wirh a palate of cassis, pepper, black currants, leather and crushed rocks. Medium to full bodied with very good structure and whilst it had a rusticity to the tannins reminiscent of Pavilion Rouge Margaux 96 the finish evolved to a more gentlemanly Cos D'Estournel finish with aeration. Very nice.
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10/26/2018 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 94 Points
Served blind at Omar’s birthday dinner, dark with bricking, iron, inky, graphite, concentrated nose, finesse, still young, decanted for an hour,
94+
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10/15/2018 - Quiet Lion wrote: 91 Points
Decanted one hour and served. This bottle showed on the high-toned, tart side of Medoc without much in the way of leather or earthiness, so not my cup of tea. It drank consistently over two hours with more acid than fruit. Not sure where this is going. Cork was pristine.
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10/9/2018 - Willi Vinotti Likes this wine: 92 Points
Quintessential st estephe, subtle, smooth and multilayered, this now displays silky tannins, forest floor and earth. But also some remainders of strawberries and a charming sweetness that comes to good Cos with age. Not too powerful, but magically balanced and a perfect companion for lamb based food.
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10/4/2018 - Myownscale wrote: 83 Points
Nose:
bit closed, some spice
Palate:
nice wood, balanced, dried fruits
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9/19/2018 - stbraunt Likes this wine: 92 Points
Definitely a great Bordeaux, but maybe headed toward the end of its prime? Decanted for an hour... worth drinking sooner rather than later. On the darker / heavier side for a Bordeaux... drinks almost like a Cab.
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7/20/2018 - Mjladha Likes this wine: 92 Points
Needs more time. Green. Tannic. Bell pepper and earth. 5 more years to round out?
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7/8/2018 - Keith Levenberg Likes this wine: 96 Points
Beautiful wine, another one of the standout super-seconds of the '90s. Needed some airing out to shake off the dust and freshen up, but after that it's an absolute no-doubter. The fruit is rich and saucy and still vividly primary, flavors of blackberry and black plum giving it a complexion about as dark as Bordeaux gets, and showing more body and density than it did a few years ago. There is some cedar and spice and stoniness but it's still fairly youthful with the exception of the texture, which time has smoothed into pure satin in a way that just screams luxury.
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6/30/2018 - mnoljo wrote: 92 Points
Still youthful cassis and earth dominate the nose and the palate reveals hints of cedar and charcoal. Nice finish
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6/29/2018 - Vino Me wrote: 92 Points
Opened by Mark. Decanted 2 hours before drinking. Lightly sedimented. 4th time I have had this wine with similar notes. Drinking well and no rush to open this wine. 92 points
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6/29/2018 - ChristopherB Likes this wine: 92 Points
Nice dark ruby and fire-red without any bricking. On the nose, upon opening, delicate dark fruit, loamy soil and a fine vegetal touch. On the palate, the attack is frank, fresh, somewhat drying, but with good fruit as well as a faint touch of oak. Very dense and concentrated. With air, aromas of balsam wood, cassis with a hint of red pepper, mint, cedar wood. On the final, aromas of black olives, grapes and metal, the last two classical for a Cos of this era. This is a wine of another age in my opinion. In the 90s, Cos tended to be somewhat overoaked by today’s standards, but it is still a very good wine. After 8 hour of air, the tannin are much rounder and the aromas are still perfectly fresh. This could have been kept another 10 years. A good Cos and my last bottle of the 90s. 92-93
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6/7/2018 - Cailles wrote: 94 Points
Needed just 30 minutes of air to blossom. Medium intense mature Bordeaux nose with black olives, black truffle, tobacco, cedar wood with some dark fruit underneath. Fine tannins, good freshness, well balanced, medium aroma intensity palate with sweet and expanding cassis finish and some hints of strawberries. Overall, an elegant mature Bordeaux in a good spot, not exceptional but very good.
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6/1/2018 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
More backward and structured than the 1995, which has sweeter tannin. This vintage is denser, packed full of black fruits, iron, beef blood, black licorice with a terrific nose and rather austere abrupt finish. Needs at least 1-2 hour decant to start to open up. This is just now coming into its early maturity drinking window, but can easily age for another 20 years. This has been stored in a cold cellar since release, so it has been on a slow evolutionary track.
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5/31/2018 - Rich.Herbs Likes this wine:
Youthful clean color, still dense and a tannic. Opened after an hour or so and showed some complexity - bell pepper (at first), smoke, cedar, underlying fruit, great finish. No rush, taste again in 2021 or so.
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5/15/2018 - Saint Stephen wrote: 94 Points
50th birthday, albeit mid-week semi-celebration. Beautiful wine. Very resolved, pretty. Medium bodied, given the fact that it is St. Estephe one can almost call this light bodied. Smoke, cedar wood, dark berries, a little spice. Here's to another 50. Life is good.
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5/15/2018 - Bob Sacamano Likes this wine: 94 Points
At restaurant with about a 1 hour decant. As it was really getting
going just at the end, 2 hours would have been better. Lots of greenness, spice and earth on the complex nose. Great on the palate but a little flat at first. Took time to open up. Lively acidity when it did. Silky texture and resolved tannin. No rush.
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5/12/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Similar to prior note; had at The Winemakers Table with Andy & continued to improve throughout the meal, slightly outmatched by the 96 Pichon Lalande, drink or hold
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4/28/2018 - jkline wrote: flawed
Corked
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4/16/2018 - Verb Likes this wine: 95 Points
completely consistent with my last tasting note - drinking beautifully now, but has the structure and fruit to go another 10 years (at least!)
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4/9/2018 - phol wrote: 95 Points
A really nice Bordeaux silky smooth tannins forest floor black currant gravel and some green herbs lovely
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4/1/2018 - redders Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drank alongside GPL 96. Some maturity in colour. Complex nose great weave. Power on palate but wrapped round with maturing fruit. A lovely weave of fruit and mineral. Just shaded the GPL on the night.
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3/28/2018 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Needed a couple of hours in a decanter. Then showing classic Cos flavors of dark berries, dark earth and tar with a wonderful lifted texture. This bottle was in fine shape and the wine seems in mid-age but certainly can be enjoyed now with a long decant but there is more complexity to come on the finish. 94+
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3/20/2018 - Tavastgatan wrote: 94 Points
Still a young wine!
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3/10/2018 - Rani Likes this wine: 96 Points
Tasted blind. Powerful, loads of black fruit, cedar, herbs de Provence. Fine powdery tannins, great length. Open for business but has years ahead. Consistently good.
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3/4/2018 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
Vinetasters: 1996 Bordeaux (Skokie, IL): Served double blind in a flight of 1996 Bordeaux. This has a lovely nose, with some notes of pencil shavings and sweet plums. The palate is nicely resolved, if not the most complex. A good amount of red fruit, a touch of earth, and tannins that are ready to go. My 5th, group's 1st.
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3/1/2018 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
The nose is already developed, as you find smoke, tobacco, cigar wrapper, cassis and a touch of green. But it's easy to move past the green notes, as there is so much to like about this wine. Full bodied, concentrated, and loaded with Asian spice, red fruits and wet earth. This is showing most of what it has today, but it could get better from here.
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2/22/2018 - King Julien wrote: 94 Points
Drank at Seven, Grsnd Cayman. Decanted about an hour and drank over the following 2 hours. Continued to blossom until it was gone. Might be worth a slightly higher rating with more time in the decanter, but it was what it was. Paired great with a Waguu tenderloin.
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2/11/2018 - Geoff Likes this wine: 90 Points
Wonderful nose, mulitfaceted with secondary nuances. Tannins completely resolved. Fruit slightly muted. Time to drink up.
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1/31/2018 - GA Old World Guy Likes this wine: 94 Points
Such a great wine. Similar notes to others below and typical aromas from a great Cos. I decanted two hours prior to drinking and then placed back into bottle. Will certainly hunt down more of this wonderful wine.
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1/20/2018 - redders wrote: flawed
Corked. Cork smelled of TCA and nose and palate was completely stripped of fruit.
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1/6/2018 - jsmorris707 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Decanted for an hour then back in the cleaned bottle, deep ruby with no brick (looks younger), classic nose of red & dark fruit with tobacco & leather, black cherry on the palate, mod. tannins, long finish; Delicious & ready to drink, but no rush
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12/29/2017 - drwine2001 wrote:
French 1996 Vintage Dinner for a Twenty-First Birthday Celebration (Nopa, San Francisco): Opened 2 hours prior to tasting. Primary deep ruby. Some cedar but even more bell pepper and herbal aromas. Medium weight, quite chocolatey feel. As the nose suggested, somewhat tart and herbaceous, tight to begin with, but this loosened and sweetened considerably in the glass although I never got a sense of fruit breaking through the structure. Ultimately, very good with some room for continued improvement, but I fear that this will always have too much green and never be completely balanced.
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12/27/2017 - Mjladha Likes this wine: 93 Points
A bit more fruit than the 95? Otherwise similar. Peppery, menthol, black fruits.
Very good.
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12/25/2017 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 93 Points
Excellent. Opened and let sit without decant for 2 hours. Very sinewy with lots of leather and pipe tobacco smoke and herbs. I should have decanted as there was a good deal of sediment. I believe it will continue to evolve. (92- 95).
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12/25/2017 - thebonnydooner wrote: 94 Points
Lovely showing with the Xmas beef wellington. Expressive and mature, in a really nice place with some currant and plum fruit but loads of secondary forest, tobacco and leather notes. Tannins are soft and resolvd, but there is still some currant acidity to balance the sweetness. Long, tasty, savoury finish. Really fine wine.
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12/17/2017 - ONEFIVE wrote:
Ruby edge, deep red core.
Some decent red fruit, leather and tobacco with a slight layer of brett underneath. Aromatically this is nice but not stunning.
On the palate this is quite wonderful. Texturally a bit thin but not in a bad way. It’s light on it feet but delivers a nice hit of tart red fruit and earth. Tannins are well integrated at this point so we are probably nearing the top of the bell curve here.
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12/7/2017 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 94 Points
Lovely lovely Cos! My Wotn! Power, Poise, and Elegance
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11/25/2017 - jimyeni Likes this wine: 93 Points
Drinking well right now, fully mature. 2 hr decant did it some good, opened it up. Very lean, nice mid palate acidity and some cherry, plum and blackberry notes. For those that are sensitive to it there is some Brett on this wine which we don’t find that appealing but it was mild enough not to affect the experience. Good wine with a good Italian dinner at Carmine’s.
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11/19/2017 - SMagowan wrote: 95 Points
Great balance and ready to drink.
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11/12/2017 - Cliff Booth Likes this wine: 92 Points
1-hour decant; Epicure at LeBristol, medium-plus body, lovely leather, spice (sage?), raspberry/boysenberry bouquet. Pure mid-palate with more raspberry, plum and light spice. Overall impression was limited by a modest finish and few secondary notes. Also interesting that this bottle faded rather fast - before the end of dinner.
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11/6/2017 - dbkitc wrote: 95 Points
(at 67 Pall Mall – London) Wow – this wine rocked. Loaded with just maturing Saint Estephe goodness. Incredible fruit purity that was nicely ripe and less sauvage than some past bottles. Will last for ages on balance but why not enjoy this velvety beauty now? One of the better 1996’s I have tasted. (95)
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11/4/2017 - europat55 wrote: 93 Points
Drinking well right now, but still fresh and may not be at it's peak yet.
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11/4/2017 - Cathair Chaladinn Likes this wine: 95 Points
One can't emphasize enough how important storage conditions are when accessing older wines as is the importance of preparation for any wine to show its best. I bought this wine en-primeur cant remember exactly what I paid for it but the initial outlay seems laughable when you consider todays cost. The 1996 Cos d' Estournel is firmly in its drinking window, still fresh with lots of energy, a slight dry finish but with an abundance of ripe fruit wafting from glass, some acidity still present with wonderful overall balance and a modest 13 percent alcohol......... Great St. Estephe terroir.
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11/4/2017 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
Late Night Drinks and Beef at Ming's (M+M. Robin Road): Late night bottle at Euming's. Classic and lovely, this was firing on all cylinders after just a bit of time in the glass. The nose was a rich tapestry of ripe cassis and plums woven together with wafts of earthy tobacco, capsicum and graphite. Really masculine and attractive. The palate was nicely resolved, with velvety tannins and beautifully integrated acidity forming a gently noble backdrop to a lovely pure expression of sweet cassis, spice and tobacco flavours, all this trailing away into a long mineral and graphite finish. A beautiful Bordeaux, drinking wonderfully now.
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10/28/2017 - CWang wrote: 96 Points
Amazingly floral and fruity in the nose; elegant, juicy, and smooth on the palate packed with loads of berries and cherries in almost perfect complexity; long finish; overall, 95-96 points at this stage; a truly beautiful and wonderful wine that had evolved so nicely.
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10/19/2017 - ccplaza Likes this wine: 95 Points
A wonderful wine drinking beautifully with upside remaining.
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10/8/2017 - iobtoel Likes this wine: 96 Points
Flint, graphite Bordeaux nose. Silky smooth palate, tightly woven. Still fresh with hints of secondary notes coming through. Powerful, delicious. Long sweet finish.
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10/2/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 93 Points
A great BDX that is a little more modern in style but with still with old world structure and energy. I really love this wine and would love to spend to drink it as one of only a couple other blts at the table with a strip. I can really see this improving still as it continues to add btl age. 93+ tonight. I need to own one or two of these myself.
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10/2/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Lonny Might Be Turning Sixty (Tilia, Mpls): Very dark purple red color. Decanted for an hour plus, drank a 1.75 oz pour over 40 minutes. I've always loved the '96 Cos, and this bottle reminded me why. A wow nose, powerful and aromatic, gorgeous black fruits, cassis, creme de cassis, boysenberry, scorched earth, tar, floral, leather. Deep and layered, great concentration and presence; long finish. Fantastic bottle. 95+pts.
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9/17/2017 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
3rd wine of a '96 dream tasting in Bourdeaux with our group. Done 2 separate times over 2 separate weeks. 1st week-Moderate garnet/bricking, earthy nose with some sweet note to it. Entry of rose petal, red fruit with a camphor/eucalyptus component. More fruit than the first 2 wines in the group. A generally rounder, smoother wine too. Increased tannins, light spice and a nice finish. 2nd week-better bottle with an even better acidic backbone and a more lengthy memorable finish to it. Yum!
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9/11/2017 - tbuysse wrote: 96 Points
Tasted out of Magnum. Wine is peaking perfectly well now. A rich, velvety, creamy and smooth Cos. Shows marvelous display of roasted coffee beans, vanilla, ripe black fruit and clay. All in harmony. Still needed 30 to 45 minutes to come together. Preferred over a great 2000 Pichon Lalande.
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9/3/2017 - Verb Likes this wine: 95 Points
deep garnet with a brick edge - wonderful rich nose of black current and cassis with elements of leather, lead pencil and vanilla - full rich mouth with excellent acid-tannin-alcohol balance - I would rate this at its peak now, but with all the potential to go another 10-15 years - was great with a grilled skirt steak
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8/10/2017 - djhammond Likes this wine: 92 Points
Although nudging towards full maturity this does seem to have closed a little from 18 months ago. Possessing a deep nose of dark fruits and tobacco, the tannin is steely on the palate. There is good depth and a medium finish. Drinking well, but behind other left bank 1996's in its evolvement, I think the tannin will soften in the near future and the wine will continue to improve. 2 or 3 hours in the decanter at this stage is recommended.
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7/23/2017 - MRichman wrote:
Delicious. Lots of tobacco, leather, dark fruit. Smokey. More about power than pretty. Tannins are resolved and this is ready to drink, but I think it will continue to improve. Long long bitter finish, I lose count before it ends. Really classic brawny Bordeaux.
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7/15/2017 - JBVino wrote:
Had with new world styled but solid 01 Hourglass.
Cos really shined with solid length, mouthfeel and complexity on the palate. Also really illustrated the texture on the palate difference from the Hourglass... that elevated the Cos mouthfeel, length and overall presence of the wine. 96s seem to be finally finding their place.
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7/14/2017 - Labrador Likes this wine: 91 Points
Paired with Rack of Lamb with lentils - Southern France. They were great together.
This wine was decanted 2 hours before being served. It is a big wine that is just starting to strut its stuff and has many good years ahead. It was an intense wine - great depth, cedar, mocha, and rich dark fruit. It exhibited a nice (but in no way overpowering) Bordeaux-style sweetness on the palate, and all was in balance. The nose was somewhat muted but in a couple of years it will soar.....or after an earlier decant.
A lovely wine that I look forward to enjoying again...with a rich, warm meal in January or February.
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7/14/2017 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 94 Points
A beauty, a mature delicious Cos, silky, elegant, excellent, one of the wines of the night and drank with 90 Sassicaia, 99 & 97 Rayas, 03 Ducru Beaucaillou
94
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7/3/2017 - Stefan75 Likes this wine: 92 Points
clearly more depth and arom than the Gruaud Larose 2000 and the Montrose 2002 we had that same evening
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6/29/2017 - SMagowan Likes this wine: 96 Points
Exquisite. This is one of the best wines I have ever had. Heady combination of black pepper, cigar leaf, wet loam and a hint of bing cherry. This is red/violet all the way to the edge of the glass and likely to continue to drink well into the 2030's or 2040's. Opened for an hour, no decant. Would decant next time as there was a lot of sediment.
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6/9/2017 - overhill wrote: 95 Points
Bordeaux Second Growths Lunch (Capital Grille NY): For me this was WOTN. Must be in it's prime because all of the elements were singing. Loads of pencil lead and wild blackberries, this filled the mouth with waves of fine tannins. Very fresh. I guessed mid-nineties Pauillac and believe this is a great example of Cos carrying elements of the neighboring terrior
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5/27/2017 - Claret & CdP Gang Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted for an hour, medium red showing some age, beautiful mature nose, tea leaves, pauillac graphite and tar and still a good dose of cab, very proper very classical, delicious and perfect with the grilled rib eye, truly magnificent! 94
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5/25/2017 - fcxj wrote: 84 Points
Very rustic, didn't love this.
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5/25/2017 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
Classic old Bordeaux nose of graphite, dark berries, black earth and Asian spices with a bit of brine. A great bottle of this wine which has the opulent, oily texture of aged Bordeaux within a structured frame along with delicious flavors of graphite minerals and dark spicy muted fruits. Finishes with a crisp dusty density and very finely silted complexity. An older style of Bordeaux without the modern day polish and I love it! Best after a 1 hour decant and then held well.
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5/19/2017 - PC73 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Big and powerful.
took a while to open up, with heavy bias on smoky flavours for a while. fruit came through with time in the glass.
lots of cedar, leather, blackcurrant on the palate.
should have a long life ahead
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5/13/2017 - Ricky99 wrote: 93 Points
Big and busty as compared to the uber refined 90 Lafite we drank prior... plenty of fruit left in this bruiser
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4/21/2017 - CellarBord Likes this wine: 92 Points
I did not let this breath long enough. This was too early to open or you need a long decant. Showing very similar to the 1995 Montrose served with the same course.
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4/17/2017 - Cofxc Likes this wine: 92 Points
Fine perfume, cherry, orange peel, earth (dirt). A hint of something deeper, more animal. Blackberry on the palette. Low acidity. Drank this a bit cold. A bit short.
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4/15/2017 - Javachip Likes this wine: 93 Points
Allowed to breathe in bottle and in glass 60 minutes before tasting. Needed more decanting than that. Clear deep dark garnet color. Classic bouquet of red currants, creme de cassis, cigar tobacco, pencil shavings, river stones, hints of old saddle leather. Similar on the palate, beautiful balance and structure, full body. Improved steadily with air. Firm but polished tannins give an astringent finish, suggesting that this wine's best days lie a few years ahead. Enjoyable now with at least a one hour decant. Try again in 2018.
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3/31/2017 - petec-s Likes this wine: 90 Points
certainly fully mature and offering some pleasure. Initially with an open and enticing bouquet, rather losing it's way on the palate, a touch soupy and lacking focus. possibly less than perfect condition.
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3/27/2017 - Burgnick wrote: 92 Points
Very expressive with sweet red fruit, truffle, tobacco, cedar wood, and red currant. Palate has sweet red fruit and blue fruit. Drinking nicely with an hour decant but not a very complex wine.
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3/19/2017 - fine137 wrote: flawed
Mildly corked, giving a sense of what it might have been. Quite optimistic for the remaining bottles.
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3/18/2017 - GeorgeSW wrote: 92 Points
Dark fruit, tight wonderful after 3 hour decant
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3/18/2017 - jsebiri wrote:
The wine is drinking well right now, maybe a little too drying on the taste , nose with some barnyard going on , we all liked this wine , but it is likely on the other side of the hill . Breed apart , for sure .
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3/13/2017 - shaferguy91 wrote: 93 Points
1 hour decant.
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3/12/2017 - dalondra Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hr before drinking. Perfectly mature, but will last many more years. Soft tannins, typical St Estephe fruit. Sightly dusty
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3/8/2017 - gsquireh Likes this wine: 94 Points
Actually, a bit tight after decanting for an hour. Over the course of two hours of pouring ( this wine and three other reds- 1981 Corton, 2006 Louis Jadot Clos St Denis, and 2015 Bodega Chacra Pinot Noir Treinta y Dos), the Cos shined. Classic in structure and style, the cassis, blackberry, cedar, coffee, pepper, leather, and lead pencil make this a great wine with beef and a wine whose character evolves while drinking. Gets better and better in the glass and insinuates its character into your senses.
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3/1/2017 - AMRS wrote: 95 Points
From memory, this was classic full and close to its peak after being open for 3-4 hours. Buy more!!!
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2/25/2017 - Rani Likes this wine: 95 Points
Tasted blind. Ripe black fruit with forest floor. Hints of cedar, delicious fruit core, superbly balanced. Starting to peak.
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2/19/2017 - chablis28 wrote: 96 Points
My hands down WOTN and dam, wish I owned some of these! This is in a very nice spot with zero signs of slowing down. There is still some upside here. Do I play roulette and buy some now? Tempted. This had a terrific tobacco leaf nose, perfect balance and weight with a cornucopia of flavors. An excellent wine! Thanks Kevin! See R&Rlers note for more details.
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2/19/2017 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Monthly Wine Group: Bordeaux 2005 and Older (Lela, Bloomington MN): Very dark red/purple color. Slow-O for 3 hours, then decanted for 2 hours. Drank 1+ glass over 2 hours plus. Pretty much everything I want in my Bordeaux. Great nose with leather, florals, pencil lead, cassis, red berries, and suggestions of cigar. The palate has depth and energy with a lithe lightness and suave sophistication. Leather, pencil, floral, cassis, deep, and medium plus bodied with fine tannins and a very persistent finish. Loved it, my WOTN. This is in a wonderful spot with several decades of life ahead. This is certainly a wine that could show spectacularly at 40 to 50 years when well stored - i hope to have that opportunity. 95(+)pts.
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2/10/2017 - RockinCabs wrote: 95 Points
Nose: Blackberry, Black Cherry, Sweet Tobacco, Graphite, Earth and a bit of Leather. Palate: Exceptionally precise on the palate delivering gorgeous blackberry / black cherry fruit, and then layers of Pauillac like graphite and tobacco notes. Such nice minerality and brighness to this wine, that still shows muddy cos earth and spice notes. Finish: Really nice finish that shows an array of flavors and maintains a nice dose of fruit, oak and spice.
This remains one of my favorite wines from Cos, and ultimately I may be underrating this. Every bit as good as a bottle we had at the chateau 2-years ago.
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1/26/2017 - Aglenardi Likes this wine: 93 Points
What a wonderful wine. While I agree with the other reviewer that the wine is still a bit tight. The bouquet is overwhelmingly fragrant. I also feel that the style is almost paulliac like. Overall its a beautiful and wine of a greath depth and flavors with mant years ahead in its life
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1/14/2017 - chatters wrote:
2013 Grand Cru Horizontal tasting (Prince Wine Store, Bank Street, Melbourne): Blackcurrant, bramble tending to cassis with time. Autumnal, slightly briny with crushed rock. Leather. Spice. Juicy, savoury, tight and chewy though the wine shows tertiary characteristics. Quite thick and tight but quite nice. Time required: Still a bit 'not ready' for me.
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1/5/2017 - totp483 Likes this wine: 95 Points
plenty of life ahead, 4h decant
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1/3/2017 - dream wrote: 91 Points
Masculine nose of dark fruits, classic dark funky Cos earth and black slate. Quite tight with a fine density and deep flavors of smoky black fruits and lots of slate and silty minerals. The finish is long with more slate and black earth but this particular bottle is somewhat closed and not showing much complexity on the finish. A great wine underneath but I couldn't quite access it tonight. Double-decanted for 3 hours. 91+
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1/1/2017 - chefdilletante wrote:
Six hour decant. Like many of the '96s, finding this a bit reticent. Tannins are still drying. Initial impression of dusty parlor room, old tobacco. Some fine herbaceousness in the mid palate and finish. But finding it all a bit out of kilter. Would wait to see where this keeps going in a few years.
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1/1/2017 - Dave77 Likes this wine: 93 Points
On opening it's a nice bordeaux you like to drink with pleasure.
Smooth and full bodied.
After some air it becomes a beautie, pencil chavings, much rooms, kirsch and cream de cassis. Very secundairy with notes of tertiary elements.
Can still go for quit some time, but is really nice to start a new year.
Great length to, there is nothing not to like about this wine, this is why we love this stuff, classic bordeaux.
Will think twice what to do with my other bottles, keep or drink, have time to think about it with another glass. If you find any at a good price point don't think twice and buy.
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12/30/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 92 Points
Heli Ski Wines; 12/27/2016-12/30/2016 (Tweedsmuir Park Lodge, Bella Coola, BC): [Magnum] Reading young but indicative of St. Estephe and Cos on the nose with red cedar, damp farm soil, and rustic earthy spice. A wallop of lacquered black cherry and currant fruit too. Palate is dense, rich, and powerful. A big bottle opened too young for sure, but delicious and fun. Both fruit and structure are in place for this to deliver pleasure a decade and more from now. Underripe blueberry. Big tannin.
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12/24/2016 - Fonsalette Likes this wine: 91 Points
Full bodied. Balanced. Can wait another 5 years
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12/11/2016 - unrelenting wrote: 96 Points
peaked an hour after opening (no decant). Mushroom and earth nose. Razor precision, complex typical leather and tobacco flavors. Great with lamb. Perhaps a bit light for my steak, since there wasn't a ton of fruit.
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11/22/2016 - Bigtuna Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted an hour, tasted over the next 3 hours. Very nice and definitely drinkable now, however general census of group was wine needs maybe five to ten years to hit sweet spot. Beautiful nose and more fruit than I recall from a tasting two years ago.
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10/25/2016 - The Vines That Bind wrote: 92 Points
1996 Bordeaux Blind: Excellent nose with black currant, juicy red fruit, damp earth, green tobacco leaf, cassis, somewhat rustic but very powerful. More rustic with more air. Great nose. Very tannic palate but with sufficient fruit juice underneath.
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9/30/2016 - forceberry wrote: 96 Points
13% alc.
Slightly translucent dark cherry color with a slightly bloodied brown hue. Rich, dry and savory bouquet with huge complexity - the aromas seem to live constantly. Most pronounced are the aromas of roasted bell pepper and smoked chipotle with a good base of wizened blackcurrant underneath. Behind these notes are nuances of dusty cedar, earth, some tobacco, a little cured meat and a hint of pungent smokiness. The palate is medium-to-full-bodied with good grip and silky texture. Layered, developed flavors of plums, ripe blackcurrants, tobacco, understated sweet chocolate notes, some pepper-driven spice, a little leafy vegetal character, a hint of cedar and a touch of blackcurrant jam. The structure is remarkable with moderately high acidity and ample and firm, but also very ripe and smooth tannins. The juicy midpalate transitions into long and ripe but more dry and savory finish with persistent, textural flavors of ripe blackcurrant-friven fruit, peppery spice, some capsicum notes, a little smoke and a hint of leafy character. There also lingers a sweeter undercurrent of plum compote.
In our small 5-wine horizontal of Left Bank 1996-ers, Cos d'Estournes 1996 was quality-wise a few good paces ahead of its peers (Lynch-Bages, Ducru-Beaucaillou, Leoville-Barton and Gruaud-Larose) with simply astounding complexity, depth and poise. The wine offers a huge, complex array of mature aromas and flavors that still pack incredible power, making the wine appear both aged yet surprisingly youthful. The structure is fully resolved and the wine is a pure treat right on its own - it still sports good structure to go with food as well, but I wouldn't pair it with anything too heavy, because the tannins don't pack real bite anymore. I can imagine that the wine is peaking right now - it might gain some further mature notes as it ages, but to me, its current combination of aged complexity and still some sense of youthful fruit is simply gorgeous. However, I don't see the youthful fruit fading anytime soon, so probably the wine will keep good at least 10 years more.
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9/29/2016 - jmoon Likes this wine: 95 Points
Similar to my 95 notes. Drinking perfectly now. Improves after 1-2 hours
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9/24/2016 - Matt Scott Likes this wine: 94 Points
This reminds me of the '88 in texture and '04 during the finish. Very secondary, with leather, kircsh, pipe tobacco, black tea and scorched earth. A velvety undertone and a succinct entry. Not the opulent goddess that the '03 is, but still a harrowing bottle from the '96 vintage. We had this with the '03 at Willi's in Sonoma County. Drink now - 2032.
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9/23/2016 - Phitz wrote: 95 Points
Opened and consumed over the course of four hours. This only needed twenty minutes to open up in the glass. Was singing 90 minutes in, and continued to improve. It wasn't an error to start drinking it when we poured it, but it wouldn't have been a mistake to wait 90 minutes, either. Noteworthy palate density for a Bordeaux. Overall impression of classic St. Estephe flavor and aromatics. There was enough of the northern Medoc greenness that I would say "Classic Cos" if I didn't feel goofy saying it. Tannins in this bottle were well-resolved. This is ready to drink today and a real treat. Satisfied the nose and the palate.
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9/15/2016 - Lype Likes this wine: 94 Points
Beautiful silky nose, on the palate black currant, pepper, fragrant cedar (as oppose to St Julien type of woody cedar), smooth and velvety mouthfeel, a stunningly well structured claret which is still a tad young but will develop into an extraordinary classic Cos. A very strong showing, will be very rewarding in the years to come.
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9/8/2016 - Romol Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 1.5 hours. Very good bottle. Definitely ready to drink but will last another 7-10 years as well. 94 pts.
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8/25/2016 - jim_crane Likes this wine:
CAB Bordeaux AOCs (Pat's): Tasted blind. Bricking. Wow! Nose explodes with waxy flower, clove, orange peel. Medium body, but bigger than expected. Very dry. Menthol rising on the finish. This was gorgeous.
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8/12/2016 - wineforth Likes this wine: 94 Points
1st of a pair of bottles bought in the late 90s and in immaculate condition. Big blackcurrant nose at first, then giving way to cedar and bell pepper. The fruit is remarkably sweet and counteracts that slight bell pepper green and the still plentiful tannins which give the impression of leanness. Overall hugely enjoyable, soft fruit, complex flavours, balanced and long. Needs a good steak. No reason to keep this longer.
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8/3/2016 - Mr T wrote:
Decanted mid meal which was a mistake. Wine looks young and classic Bdx profile on nose. This is a very dry wine and initially not all that giving. It never really gave a lot of fruit, but more classic, green/herbal Bdx flavors that I enjoy. I would all it a contemplative wine....and giving only moderate pleasure. 91-92
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7/9/2016 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
In the bouquet dark forest fruits, luxurious perfectly integrated oak, cedar and some lovely rustic flavors. On the palate beautiful and harmonious and somewhat extracted juice (in a positive way). Beautiful acidity and round and friendly tannin with a beautiful bite. The wine is beautifully mature and harmonious and I think that this is the reason most people around the table were really delighted, even after Mouton and Ducru B.. On the other hand; no hurry; will last another 7+ years as well.
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7/9/2016 - peternelson wrote: 92 Points
Small forest berries, licorice, anise; less elegant, more earthy-spicy pungent than Margaux with strong cigar leaf and granite; good structure, medium and slight gravelly tannins; the nose is haunting, body a bit thinner and brighter than the '95 Lynch. Love the nose in the Cos. Bright tangy finish a la '96, which many did not like.
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6/19/2016 - Rich.Herbs wrote:
Decanted through vinturi and drank over a period of 3 hours. At first the nose and taste were dominated by roasted red peppers, which was not unpleasant, with an underlying fruit and still vigorous tannin. The finish was slow and grew like a vibrating bell. Then the fruit faded, and with food, the wine felt thin and acidic, and was dismissed by my wife as of no interest. After three hours, it was a bit smoother, but still unfocused, trite, and brash, without balance.
I wanted very much to like this wine, like I liked other Cos, and looked for excuses ("it's a beast but perhaps if I love it more and truly, it will turn into something beautiful"). But it's been stored impeccably, given time to open up, etc, so there's no excuse for such a poor showing. Could it be a closed phase? I don't think so because it was not tight, just unfocused and trite. I still have 8 bottles and I can dream of a turnaround or assume it was a "bad" bottle, but I'm not optimistic.
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6/19/2016 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 92 Points
Brought by Jess to our place for C's birthday. Poured through Vinturi into decanter.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose medium+ intensity, with aromas of bell peppers, cedar, chocolate, earth, graphite, black fruit, slight spice and some brett emerges with more air. Developing.
On the palate, dry, juicy high acidity, medium alcohol (13%), smooth velvety medium tannins, full body. Medium+ intensity, with flavours of blackcurrant, blackberry, bell pepper, cedar, graphite, leather, minty spice, slight earth. Chocolate emerging. Long finish.
Very good quality. Excellent mouthfeel. Nose waned about 30mins in. Palate feels rather tight and good potential for the future. Best to try again in 5 years. Yes the green bell peppers do decrease with increased air time. Sweet savoury chocolatey finish at the 2.5 hour mark.
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5/9/2016 - PJRONeill wrote: 89 Points
Back to ho-hum with this I am afraid. A bit blocky and reticent after my last more expressive bottle last September.
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5/7/2016 - Zweder Likes this wine: 95 Points
Regular dinner group (@ EM): Beautiful mature and luxurious bouquet with dark forest fruits and cedar. On the palate dark forest fruits, beautifully integrated oak, graphite and other minerals, firm and good acidity and round, still youthful tannin. This is a beautiful luxurious and harmonious wine with still a good future. 94 - 95
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4/23/2016 - absolut wrote: 91 Points
Tannine nach öffnen noch sehr präsent. Ab 2 Std. Belüftung deutlich offener. Gut aber war nicht umwerfend genug für das Preisniveau. War aus kühlem Keller, braucht dann wohl noch deutlich mehr Flaschenreife. Die oft genannten leicht grünen Noten vor allem am zweiten Tag wahrnehmbar
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4/23/2016 - Old John Likes this wine: 95 Points
Either I haven't had a good Bordeaux in a while or this bottle was wonderful. Seems totally ready for business, with merlot coming through perfectly, and I will just up the recent scores by another point.
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4/22/2016 - djhammond Likes this wine: 94 Points
This has really opened up. Drinking beautifully with a perfect balance between fruit and tannins.
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4/7/2016 - ohne_musik wrote: 94 Points
"Smells like purple" - a friend and I both simultaneously said when we took our first whiff. Lovely stuff, well-integrated tannins, graphite, cedar, cigar box and well-worn leather. A good match to the 160 day dry aged ribeye.
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4/5/2016 - galewskj wrote: 93 Points
Bordeaux (John's house): Splash decant. A great old world bordeaux nose. The palate is a bit hollow. It is slightly thin and vegetal.
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4/2/2016 - bodo/norway Likes this wine: 94 Points
Had been looking forward to drink this, and it didn't dissapoint! Decanted for two hours. A very good wine. Some tannins left, absolutely, but the wine drinks very well now with some air. Will be good also the next ten years.
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4/1/2016 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 91 Points
No Fools Today (Minneapolis): A little bit thin and green up front. 20 minutes later much better with walnuts, floral, red fruits and earth. Medium finish.
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3/19/2016 - SteveVermeer Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great wine drinking at it's peak. We had it with a steak off the grill and it was perfect. The balance was right on with the fruit a perfect balance to the round but noticeable tannins.
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3/16/2016 - Burgaddict wrote: 93 Points
Just another evening between work in Leiden: Lovely nose, graphite, strong minerals, vegetal tones, taste red fruit, full bodied, soft tannins.
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3/10/2016 - burgburgburg wrote: 91 Points
Allowed 6 hours of bottle breathing on the first day, which is clearly not enough. A closed and tight Bdx. While tannin is tamed and delicious, there is just slightest faint of fruit. Finished 2/3 bottle on the second evening and it turns into a much more balanced and elegant Bdx CS. Good++ overall.
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2/27/2016 - Ispendtoomuchmoneyonwine Likes this wine: 94 Points
This bottle was more foreword than the last one and in a great drinking place. Cherry oak tar leather. Beautiful nose of red fruits and intergrated oak acidity in the background kept it all in focus. Seemed to fade after a few hours in the glass though.
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2/17/2016 - RayOB Likes this wine: 95 Points
Drank at '67
Incredible depth and balance. Wonderful stuff.
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2/14/2016 - Turtlerider Likes this wine:
As with the last bottle of this vintage I opened, there was a distinctive corky note to the aroma of the wine when opened. I tasted it after about 10 minutes and it was definitely tasting like a flawed bottle.
My last notes said that after 2 hours this bit of nastiness faded. Let's hope that happens this time...
So after about 2 hours the corkiness faded, but was still slightly perceptible. With food the corkiness was completely gone, at least to my palate.
The night was a bit of a mess as I managed to burn dinner, so maybe the corked wine goes with crappy food. Happy Valentines day baby! So sorry...
The next time I open one of these I will decant for at least 3 hours. I think if the bottle was flawed, the flaw would not fade, so maybe this is just a funky characteristic of the wine that does not agree with my tastebuds.
I'll have to invite one of my more educated wine friends over for the next bottle.
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1/29/2016 - Zweder wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful and classical bouquet with cassis and other dark forest fruits, cedar, cigar box and beautifully dosed oak which is perfectly integrated in the wine. All impressions come back on the palate, beautiful acidity and round tannin with still a pleasant bite. Overall a really very beautiful and complex and mature wine which still has plenty of bite for the future. Until 2020+ should not be a problem. Have a few, so there will be follow ups.
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1/18/2016 - dcwino wrote: 92 Points
Cos d'Estournel Vertical with Aymeric de Gironde (Ripple Restaurant in DC): Our bottle felt disjointed, bright acidity and noticeable tannins but lacking fruit. Red fruit driven nose, green pepper and strong lead pencil. Medium concentration, shy fruit, bright acidity, noticeable tannins and medium finish. Need to try another bottle soon.
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1/18/2016 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 96 Points
15 Vintages of Cos d'Estournel (Ripple - Washington, DC): This wine shows a unique brightness, and I get some red fruit on the nose as well as roses, tobacco, roasted red pepper. Full but silky tannins, bright acid, the black currant fruit is mixed in with some red currants, juicy and delicious all around. Complex elements of roasted pepper, white pepper, mossy soil, wet leaves, bay leaf, oregano, wow, the complexity and length of flavors is stunning. So long and nuanced. Pure bliss of a wine, showing tremendously well but plenty of time left to go.
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1/2/2016 - mayfield Likes this wine: 93 Points
I bought this in France in 2002 and lugged it around for 14 years. It was great; I think it's probably peaked but will be good for another 10 years or so. Had a backbone but was not as backward or tannic as other 96s I've tried. I would even call it elegant. It's out of the primary phase and the fruit has a savory quality.
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12/19/2015 - unrelenting Likes this wine: 93 Points
Half hour decant might not have been enough. Good finish but fairly dilute
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12/10/2015 - vanpe003 wrote:
Pop/pour. I think that might have been a mistake. A bit thin, a tad greenish, and fairly tight. Will check back in later.
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12/3/2015 - AMRS wrote: 94 Points
Open for 2 hours now, the nose is discreet, with nice red fruit, some green pepper, pencil. Blind tasted for all the rest of us, they all said "Puillac" and for a good reason. Mid-full bodied, lots of acidity here, with nice red cherry and balance. Overall very impressive, drinkable and probably still improving. Drink now-2020+, 94+.
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11/24/2015 - Cheungtp Likes this wine: 94 Points
This bottle was just a tag lighter in complexity and structure than the previous on. Nonetheless, the 96 Cos seems to be at a sweet spot right now. Richness in the aromatics and taste are undeniably fantastic, loaded with dark red fruit, mineral, bell pepper, coffee, earth, spice and herbal leaves notes. The "green" element does seem a bit stronger than last time, but the 90s seem to possess quite some of this, and its not intrusive and adding a degree of distinction. Excellent balance, with refreshing acidity and softened tannins. Very good stuff
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11/21/2015 - nm10 Likes this wine: 92 Points
Decanted for two hours. Fruit came out after about an hour, but still lots of wood. Probably a little too much. However, nicely aged Bordeaux; drinking well now. Didn't blow me away. Was maybe expecting (hoping) for a bit more.
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11/8/2015 - MEKWINE Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanter Masterclass 8 November 2015, with Dimitri Augenblick. Deep robe. Smokey, seductive and inky nose. Less powerful than 1986. Dark berries, spices and pepper. A very alluring wine and drinking superbly now.
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10/22/2015 - dharrison93 wrote: 88 Points
Dark garnet / ruby with no sediment, this wine is mature.
The wood is really prominent here, masking and overwhelming the once-lovely fruit. Cherry and cassis nose.
I have no idea where this is headed with future cellaring but it would be divine if the wood takes a back seat.
If a date, I would ask for the check after the appetizer and excuse myself for the evening
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9/25/2015 - PJRONeill wrote: 92 Points
Probably the best of the half case or so that I've had in the recent past. Pencil, black currant and a touch of sandalwood, lovely breadth across the palate with real presence and depth. On this showing, worth keeping for a bit but other bottles have suggested otherwise.
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9/20/2015 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
Polished leather, tar, cassis and cedar. There is some barnyard brett as well. In the mouth the fruit is glossy and it has a modern feel. There's still plenty of grip to the finish.
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9/18/2015 - acyso wrote: 90 Points
HDH auction tasting at Tru; 9/18/2015-9/19/2015: Hah, there's a little bit of Molly on the nose (and I don't mean the Dooker). Yeah, this is definitely a bit skunky and herbal. I was pretty surprised when i stuck my nose in the glass. But this ain't bad at all. The palate does come off as a little bit austere, with some woolliness and coarse tannins. There's a slight bit of sweet fruit, but this is mostly a herbal and backwards bottle of cabernet. I don't think there's any rush to drink this now, but it isn't unapproachable either.
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9/4/2015 - Wine_lvr wrote: 93 Points
Nice classical Claret, good structure but quite 'green' for a 1996
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8/22/2015 - dst Likes this wine: 96 Points
It's in a perfect spot.
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8/12/2015 - clairenclarence wrote: 94 Points
unbelivable lively palete despite almost 18 yrs in the bottle.good primary character blend with tertiary.showing nice concentration fruits.reckon stil hve room to improve.very well drinking nw.1 of the best bordeaux i hve sip so far
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8/7/2015 - Derek Darth Taster wrote: 91 Points
Tim's Housewarming (Bishan): Tasted blind. Poured into decanter and drank over 2+ hours.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of herbaceousness, green bell peppers, cedar, blackberry, slight spice. Developing.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium+ alcohol, fine high tannins, full body. Medium flavour intensity, with flavours of green bell peppers, cedar, blackberries, leather, chalky minerality, slight spice. In the first 1 hour, this was quite closed and actually felt rather green and bland. It only started to open up and put on weight and amazingly developed flavour with more air in the 2nd hour. Medium+ finish.
Good quality. Classic Left Bank Bordeaux. Will improve with age. I am personally not a fan of the herbaeousness and green bell peppers though.
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8/2/2015 - KristianT Likes this wine: 94 Points
Perfect levels and healthy cork. Very dark color. Beautiful nose from the first pour, but quite restrained taste. After about 30 minutes in the glass it started to shine displaying dark fruits. Complex, elegant and classic. After about an hour more earthy, leather and tobacco notes emerged. Perfectly mature now, but with a structure that will allow for another 5-10 years of peak time (depending on the bottle of course). Great bottle for my birthday ��
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7/28/2015 - bonedocnine Likes this wine: 92 Points
very classic bordeaux. the fruit is now receding so the tertiary flavors are starting to dominate. I think it has peaked but is still good at this point. dont wait too long unless you really like old wine flavors....
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7/24/2015 - liber Likes this wine: 95 Points
2nd of 13, decanted an hour, perfect level and cork, previous bottle drunk in 2011 fine on potential but hard work as not ready - deepish garnet, still some purple notes on rim; classy bouquet blackcurrant and bramble with a whiff of cedar, hot black chocolate and sous bois, more Cos than St Estephe; fullish, very long, persistent, classy, grippy, silky fruit, acidity and balance makes it quite refreshing, not a bit over-extracted, just about ready. Very fine (18.5/20).
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7/18/2015 - Ispendtoomuchmoneyonwine Likes this wine: 94 Points
Great wine. Cedar, blackberries on the nose. Decanted for an hour. Once all the components completely mesh together this will be really fantastic. Plenty of everything here. Give it another 2 to 3 years
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7/11/2015 - Jeffrey Silver Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decant s for 3hrs. Very powerful nose of crushed blackberries and carmel. The acidity is very balanced and tannins are strong. The taste has strong cacao and hazelnut. The free fruit of Strawberry is very evident of Cos. There is also allot of mineral essence from its Terroir. This is great wine and only going to improve.
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6/28/2015 - Lipsman wrote: 95 Points
Decanted from a magnum. Closed and tight. Clearly this wine is loaded with fruit, balanced acidity, and fine tannins, but there is some bitterness and submerged flavors. It just isn't ready to drink from a magnum. Needs a minimum of five years and more likely eight to 10.
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6/28/2015 - alamoave wrote: 95 Points
Right up there with my favorite Cos vintages. Decant for at least 30 minutes. Will last another 10 years with ease. There is no California version of St. Estephe.
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5/29/2015 - dream Likes this wine: 94 Points
After a 1 hr. decant there is an awesome nose of grilled nuts, tar pit and Bordeaux gravel. Just clean and grippy on the palate with wonderful flavors of black cassis, smoky dark earth and gravel minerals and lots of good acidity and lift. This has aged in the best way of the '96's which is still lean but so classy and elegant with real terroir St. Estephe flavors. The finish is refined and complex with firm and slightly rustic tannins (the old style of Cos which is not necessarily a bad thing) and lots of dark spice and minerals. Probably 3-4 yrs. from peak but this is classy, chiseled juice which is my kind of style.
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4/25/2015 - Ary wrote: 94 Points
Bordeaux Left Bank (semi blind) (Amsterdam Wijn Antiquariaat): Elegant and stylish wine. Iron and dark fruit in the nose. Complex and smooth on the powerful palate with herbs, ripe red fruit, Round and smooth tannins and some acidity in the end with mineral and iron notes. No hurry to drink, this should easily last another 15 years. 94 points for now.
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4/23/2015 - premiercruclasse wrote: 94 Points
Consumed at Bashan courtesy of JM. First impression was sweet oak, very smooth. Very much reminds me of the Togni I recently had, except this is smoother and more elegant. Opened up during the meal. Tasty and masculine wine. I enjoyed it!
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4/23/2015 - chablis28 wrote: 94 Points
Very very tasty! See RnR's notes for details.
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4/23/2015 - rocknroller wrote: 96 Points
A Decadent Night of 1990's Napa Cabs and Bordeaux (Chez Dalluge, MN): Very dark red/purple color. Decanted for 2 hours.; drank 1 glass over 3 hours plus. This was probably my WOTN in some very, very stiff competition. The nose kills; toasty, intense, cassis, creme de cassis, espresso, earthy, wood spices, wow, it just keeps giving. The palate follows suit with a balance that is truly deft, gorgeous fruits that are layered and oh so pure, cassis, creme de cassis, blueberry, spice, wood spice, pencil lead, coffee, and a ripe long finish. This was so ripe and integrated for a relatively young Cos, incredible. Drinking great, no reason to wait; no reason to hurry - this will satisfy for 2 decades. 95+ to 96 pts.
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3/31/2015 - FamilyLarsson wrote: 94 Points
Underbar doft av mogen Bordeaux. Sötmogen frukt, stall, läder, blyerts, stenig mineralitet och tobak. Otroligt balanserat och elegant trots sin kraft och fyllighet.
Jag älskar verkligen bra Bordeaux!!!
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3/21/2015 - Asger Likes this wine: 94 Points
classic, herbs and tobacco all over
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3/20/2015 - iobtoel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Gravel, flinty nose, slightly herbaceous nose. Fading fruit. Tightly knit on the palate with very fine tannins. Sweetness about it, opened up more after about an hour. Leather, chocolate, cedar. Flint. Very pleasant finish. Overall an enjoyable bottle.
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3/13/2015 - ChristopherB wrote: flawed
Nice dark rubis colour that doesn’t have any orange or brown tints. Upon opening, blackcurrant, dried fall leaves, cedar, chocolat and mint - and cork! I cry for a moment… (just kidding, but I've held on to this bottle for 16 years... lots of hope dashed...) Too bad, as behind the omnipresent aroma of cork which is also detectable on the palate, there seems to be a wine with a good structure, nice aromas and a good length. I can imagine what it is like without the omnipresent cork. I hope my second and last bottle will be good!
Belle robe rubis noir sans reflets orangés. À l’ouverture, nez de cassis, humus, cèdre, chocolat, menthe - et de bouchon! Je pleure un instant… (je rigole, mais ça fait 16 ans que je garde cette bouteille et c'est bien...) Dommage, car derrière l’arôme de bouchon qui est aussi présent en bouche, on y retrouve un vin avec une bonne structure, de beaux arômes et une bonne longueur. Je peux l’imaginer sans le bouchon et il doit être bon… J’espère que ma deuxième et dernière bouteille sera bonne!
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3/9/2015 - RockinCabs wrote: 95 Points
Bordeaux & San Sebastian Trip; 3/6/2015-3/13/2015: Nose: wow! Red berries, cherry, blackbery, leather, classic cos spice and gravel. Palate: silky and integrated. Cherry liquor, black berries, baking spice, leather and cassis. Stony minerals round it out with berry pie notes. Finish: Cherry, black berry, spice and tobacco. Great mature cos in every way classically floating on the pauillac/st estephe line.
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3/5/2015 - Harry Cantrell Likes this wine: 94 Points
deep garnet. Nose of aged Bordeaux, black fruits hinted at, licorice, and seasoned salt. Taste was licorice, seasoned salt and bitter chocolate on the finish. Best now.
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1/25/2015 - jmoon Likes this wine: 94 Points
brilliant as always. Perfect condition now after 1 hr decant. Fresh with a herbaceous edge that thickens and moves towards darker fruit with more air. Peaked around 3 hours. Brilliant
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1/23/2015 - dream Likes this wine: 93 Points
Strong dark color. Fine nose of black currants, tobacco and graphite minerals. A classic '96 that is structured, a bit thin in the middle, very finely etched and fabulous on the finish. Lots of tobacco and minerals along with black fruits and Asian spices lead to a firm and complex finish. This is still young but it's refined, classic Saint-Estephe. An hour later and it got better and better and really began to show the terroir with great black soil, charcoal and spice flavors along with carbon minerals. Great wine and will only improve. 93+
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1/12/2015 - paulst Likes this wine: 88 Points
Initially earthy blackberry with strong tannins; lightened over time; decent texture; paired with pan seared chicken with banana peppers on top (surely a paring issue).
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12/27/2014 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Decanted for about an hour. Darker garnet color. Nose of cassis, black currant, leather, plum, earth, and a bit of lit match. Lovely initial attack on the palate of rich dark currant, roasted red pepper, beef blood, and tobacco leaf. A bit hollow in the mid palate at first but as the evening progressed the original flavors persisted and filled in nicely. Lower acidity and smoothed off tannins leading to a very long finish of dark plum fruit and sweet grip. An elegant, integrated wine at present, full of pleasure and nuance.
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12/26/2014 - GA Old World Guy Likes this wine: 95 Points
What a great wine. Took a two+ hour decant to really find it's sweet spot. Gobs of cherry on the front end and more tobacco on the back end. This wine is finding a good place but easily has a drinking window of 10+ years. This wine tasted much younger than what it was.
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12/25/2014 - lhillberg wrote: 94 Points
This bottle was bought at auction a month ago. It was slow to develop with the first pour, but came to life nicely after an hour sitting in the bottle and some time in the glass. After opening, the nose was very nice with dried wood and courant flavor. It was a superb wine to enjoy with our Christmas dinner of classic Rib Roast, Yorkshire Pudding, mashed potatoes and green beans. The fruit was still showing nicely with good balance.
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12/13/2014 - isdblm@lsu.edu Likes this wine: 94 Points
Close, but didn't show quite as well as the '95 brought out alongside it. Some tannin resolution still need for this bottle. Still a wondrous St. Estephe experience, though, as every '96 I ever had the pleasure of imbibing turned out to be.
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12/6/2014 - Romol Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 2+ hours. Gorgeous nose of secondary flavors. Ready to drink with air (at least 2h decant) and for the next 10 years.
94 pts.
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12/3/2014 - etyc Likes this wine:
Dinner at Park Palace with the IT guys (Park Palace): As good as the last bottle I had during a Cos wine-dinner. In fact, this showed younger and will definitely continue to hold (strongly) with more bottle age.
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11/27/2014 - PJRONeill wrote: 90 Points
Nice, if somewhat unspectacular. A bit more oak than I'd have expected given its age. Tobacco emerges with time, along with blue and red fruits. Good but not really great.
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11/27/2014 - Jeff Leve wrote: 94 Points
What a difference this was compared to the previous bottle I tasted. This delicious St. Estephe produced from a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot offers truffle, tobacco, wood, cassis, forest floor, Asian spice and blackberry with hints of mocha in the aromatics. Powerful, full bodied, round and classy, the wine is starting to enter maturity, ending in a long, spicy, black cherry and earthy finish. It's drinking great today, but in a few more years, it's going to be even better.
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11/20/2014 - clayfu wrote:
the initial attack on the mid palate hits you with a fistful of red cherry fruit but then it drops off and there's a drying cigar flavor on the finish that turns a bit green and shrill.
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11/6/2014 - DrinkBordeaux wrote: 93 Points
Ruby red color. On opening, an expressive nose of red fruit and spice emerged. Earthy notes then emerged over the next few hours. A little light on the attack, but more forward on the midpalate. Medium finish. Tannins were well-integrated. A pleasurable wine. This is going to get better; it is not at its peak.
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11/3/2014 - swapdoc Does not like this wine:
EWS -- Wild game and wilder wines dinner: The nose had a hint of a green bell pepper, slightly astringent. Not enough fruit in the body. Lean and lack luster, though some people preferred '96 with food to the '95.
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10/28/2014 - etyc Likes this wine:
Cos d'Estournel dinner with Aymeric de Gironde & Charles Thomas (Les Amis): Now we're starting to talk... Still spotting a dark ruby color with no visible bricking. Secondary flavors on the nose, with cigar, pencil, ink, spice. Fruit now tending towards red-profile. Silky smooth with very fine tannins and good length.
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10/21/2014 - soyhead wrote:
Nose - earth, coffee
Mouth - impressive fruit punchy core with secondary flavors of cigar, earth, and coffee. Really a phenomenal showing.
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10/10/2014 - Cheungtp Likes this wine: 95 Points
A Night Out with Ch.Cos d'Estournel (Metropolitan wine cellar, HK): The 96 Cos is at a beautiful place. Possessing a slight matured look, clear ruby with light browning at the rim. Mesmerizing bouquet captures you with dark fruit, coffee bean, earth, spice box, herbal leaves and mint. Palate is exquisite, focus and casting a masculine feel, energetic, yet not overpowering, you'll pleasantly enjoy the smoothness and velvet texture on display. Acidity and softened tannins are giving the wine a pleasant lift. Finishing is long, tobacco, red fruit and burnt leather notes seem to last forever. My vote for WOTN. Excellent
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9/27/2014 - Rich.Herbs Likes this wine:
Whiff of currant during decanting. An hour later, the nose was dominated by bell peppers, and after another hour, some pencil shavings and dark fruit. In the mouth, attacked with a sharpness with some bell pepper and fruit, which I thought was a good match for food, but others found too strong. Good late palate feel and finish. Drink now (after a good 90 of breathing) for a sharper wine or wait for something smoother.
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9/27/2014 - jerhardt wrote: 86 Points
Meh. Thin and uninteresting. I could be convinced that it is shut down, but I have no interest on waiting to give another bottle a try. Other people seem to love it, so I'm a seller.
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9/20/2014 - Turtlerider Likes this wine:
I could smell and taste Bret on opening the bottle. I was actually a little concerned that the bottle was corked. After about 2 hours the wine was fine and it continued to develop as the night went on.
To me this is classic bordeaux, pencil shavings, cassis,fine tannins all well integrated with a long finish.
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8/16/2014 - europat55 wrote: 93 Points
Birthday Dinner (Weijia & Jonathan's House): Dense, gorgeous nose (A-). Gorgeous palate (A-).
My #3, Group's #3. Tasted blind. Still needs more time...
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8/2/2014 - shaferguy91 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Drinking very well now.
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7/30/2014 - Raage Likes this wine: 94 Points
D'abord fin et salin, doté d'un joli fruité, il évoqua un margaux souple, évolué, élégant, et frais sur la finale.
Puis, il s'est métamorphosé, il a gagné en intensité, le fruit léger est devenu cassis, la bouche se montra plus intense, plus riche, avec un surcroît de relief, et toujours une finale acidulée et saline (1996). Naturellement, une très belle longueur.
Quelle élégance pour un St Estephe, pas d'austérité, pas de végétal... Un grand vin de Bordeaux.
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7/26/2014 - chuckreece wrote: 100 Points
It gets 100 because we caught it precisely at the right time. Best wine I've ever had. Tasted like drinking a rose garden in full bloom.
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7/20/2014 - AllRed wrote: 94 Points
Dinner with M/M vinole (HB Bistro, Chicago): Dark color with notes of graphite, black currants and forest floor with a subtle green quality that I loved. Still youthful, there's some tannin to integrate yet, but it is certainly drinking well now, featuring black fruit, graphite, tobacco and spice box flavors with a lingering finish. Enjoy now and for many, many years to come. Thank you jcubed! 94+ pts.
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7/20/2014 - thelostverse wrote: 92 Points
Opened by J3 at Home Bistro. Not quite as elegant as the '89 Pape opened alongside. Tobacco and leather notes, with a slight funk on the nose. Very nice.
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7/4/2014 - Pknut wrote:
This still has one foot firmly in the “still very young and the fruit tastes like it’s from California” side, and the other side shows a Bordeaux of class and breed, but at least 10 years too young. Blue-black currant and blackberry palate, nice balance, lovely texture commensurate with its age, tannins are grippy and impressive but have softened a touch over the years in the cellar. Still, should have stayed in the cellar. But it was nevertheless delicious and impressive and we loved it with Flannery beef. I brought this to Philly for Sarah and Jonathan.
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6/14/2014 - 1961Vintage Likes this wine: 94 Points
Plenty of punch left in this bottle! Decanted three hours and continued to improve in the glass. Hit all the traditional metrics. Enjoyed with Coq au Vin.
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6/7/2014 - thebonnydooner wrote: 92 Points
Utterly complex and interesting. Showing great balance with fruit combined with lots of maturity. tobacco, leather and dried currant. Palate is soft and generous, juicy, with blackcurrant, red cherry fruit. Lots of complexity on the finish. Delicious.
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5/5/2014 - rikipedia wrote: 87 Points
Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux, St. Estephe (Rodwell House): Mid ruby to garnet rim; An intensely perfumed, intense nose with black fruits, spicy oak, toast, graphite and damp clay. The palate is less enthusiastic with seeming restraint, showing some age with warm baked fruits, cassis, marinated black plums and dried earth. Gravelly textured, there is good concentration on the mid-palate, but the back palate and finish seem to veer to a more firm, drying, almost bitter note that lingers, and the finish then falls off the edge. It ends with coffee grinds, feral and wet earth, suggesting a touch of bacterial issues elsewise, it showed well.
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4/17/2014 - paulst Likes this wine: 93 Points
Initially barnyard nose which became flowered, earthy and blackberry with coffee; nicely integrated and complex with blackberry and some pleasant sourness that provided balance; long deep finish.
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3/26/2014 - rich01 wrote: flawed
Sorry, I don't get it. Last bottle was terrible. This not much better. Bad batch?
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3/25/2014 - guido23 wrote: flawed
Tasted over 24 hours. Strong vegetal notes and not much else. Either this was a defective bottle (Cork looked A-OK.) or this just really needs more time.
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3/18/2014 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Five Decades of Cos D'Estournel with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): We have had this wine quite a few times and this time it felt quite a bit drier on the fruit with a lot more tannin than other times so not sure if this has turned a corner or just bottle variation. The nose is open and beautiful, classic, evolved very old school, spice, pepper, cedar. On the palate it as mentioned above it felt dry, mineral with a lot of tannin. Lacked the charm and complexity. Muscular and feels like one of the 1996s to let sleep. 92 for the moment a slightly concerned about it.
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3/18/2014 - rossi.wine wrote: 93 Points
Slightly evolved in colour but still pretty dark, slight discolouration. Coffee, dark fruit, spices, tobacco on the nose. Slightly drying but ok fruit, balanced, a little lean, starting to open up, fresh with great length just not overly generous fruit. 2015-2025. 92-94+
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3/17/2014 - Yagil wrote: 93 Points
mature Bordeaux wine evening (Spices delicatessen): dark red-ruby
classic nose, very old school, spice, pepper, cedar, coffee & tobacco notes
full bodied, dry fruit, mineral, grip tannin, med complexity, lean structure, med length finish
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2/15/2014 - bwaverley Likes this wine: 92 Points
Reiterated previous tasting notes; dark fruit and currants present but fading. Didn't feel the complexity on the finish was as pronounced as other reviews.
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1/27/2014 - Life At Your Leisure 🍷 wrote: 93 Points
Dark crimson color turning pale rust with a silver lining at the rim. The nose evokes of damp earth with slight hints of wet grass, Nubuck leather, dried oregano and faint hints of dried currant. The palate is utterly soft and silky with dark fruit flavors that have all but fully-matured and virtually dissipated at this point, and now showing tobacco, espresso, scorched cedar, and pencil shavings. Finishes elegantly on a long, high note with hints of dried herbs and minerals. Beautifully-made. The quintessential Saint-Estephe Bordeaux blend. Drink now. 93+
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1/24/2014 - Wine Canuck wrote: 94 Points
On first pour this had a fair hit of Brett, however it really integrated and became part of the complete package. The nose is very deep and powerful: violets, asphalt, sweet ripe blackberry, cassis, dark cherries, blueberry, cedar, wet tobacco leaf, sawdust, herbs, mint, hay, barnyard. Really awesome and complex. This is in a perfect place between primary and secondary development. Palate enters sweet and juicy with slight dusty tannin and a long lingering finish built on blackberry, asphalt, hay.
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1/5/2014 - 1961Vintage Likes this wine: 95 Points
Yup,this is a killer bottle. Double decant then WOW!
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1/1/2014 - DougLee wrote: 93 Points
Celebrating New Year's eve. Decanted for 2 hours. Medium purple color with some brick at the edges. Nose of cedar, red currant, and plum with hints of forest floor and tobacco leaf. Beautifully rendered layers of black currant, earth, tobacco, and just a hint of green pepper which made things more interesting. Tannins largely resolved, acidity low-to-moderate. Finish long and elegant, echoing poised darker fruit and mineral. Full of life yet wonderfully elegant, a Saint-Estephe caught in a prime moment.
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12/20/2013 - Lord Rayas wrote: 92 Points
from magnum. spicy and savoury. long life ahead.
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12/13/2013 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Wet cedar nose and a bit funky; smooth rather chocolaty blackberry; has a coarseness; long finish.
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12/7/2013 - Stefan75 Likes this wine: 94 Points
From Mag, still young, few signs of aging but tannins already nicely integrated, loads of blackcurrent as always in estournels good vintages, has still a long life ahead, decant if drinking now.
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12/6/2013 - Philou68 wrote:
Somehow, this wine never lived to my expectations. When opened first bottles in 2000-2005, showed to be closed, lacking complexity and a bit boring even after long decanting..Opened my fitfth bottle for thanksgiving, hoping for a better show...the wine had indeed matured, displaying interesting flavors of forest floor on the nose and ripe cabernet notes on the palate....but really..this is not 95 points...at the most 89 points...very pale compared to a GPL 1996 drank a few weeks earlier (95 points here)...will however keep my sixth bottle until 2016 for it's last chance...lets see!
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10/12/2013 - dbg wrote:
NYC Dinner with Peggy, Jim, Jacques and Jill (Jacques and Jill Levy): Dark red core, some lightening at rim. Cassis, earth, blood and iron on the nose. Full-bodied, cassis and cherry, tannins still evident but mellowing, great balance, some developing complexity but not yet fully there, just a very complete well-rounded feel with a long finish that didn't reveal any cracks in the facade. Expect even further improvement as it reaches full maturity. Outstanding. WOTN
Also drank the '96 Leoville Barton and Pichon Lalande. LB was youngest of the group. PL had an incredible nose and was starting to develop some tertiary notes, a bit closer to maturity than the others.
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9/28/2013 - Haesebrouck wrote: 94 Points
Vin exceptionnel. Le meilleur cos que je n'aie jamais bu. Ouvert 4h.
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8/29/2013 - NewFrenchClaret Likes this wine: 91 Points
13% ABV. Initially very closed, even with a 4 hour decant. Decided to slow-ox the rest for 24 hours and was definitely better the following day. Clearly still very young; color is still pretty dense and brick-free.
Complex nose dominated by peppers and raspberry. A lovely damp earth note as well. Very classical- I've heard recent Cos is made in a more modern (which I fear means flabby) style; this is certainly not in that vein. It's taut as can be.
On first tasting this wine tastes very lean indeed, and it takes a day to soften on the palate. With a few minutes in the glass it gets much sweeter, and the tannins are surprisingly well integrated. They're definitely there, but the wine couldn't be described as tough.
Let down a fraction by a rather noticable alcoholic kick in the finish (exacerbated by the complementary pepper flavors), which unbalances things a little and makes the (actually quite long) finish seem more clipped than it is. I have confidence this will settle in time though.
Try again in 5 years. Open well in advance if you want to drink now.
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8/19/2013 - Wine_lvr Likes this wine: 94 Points
My Birthaday Party: Family, Friends, Food and Wine !!! (My home): I don't recall to much of the Cos as I was too occupied with the Heitz MV and the Pichon Baron. All I remember is that it was a very classical, balanced and elegant 'old school' Bordeaux. I liked it quite a bit...drink with no hurry.
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8/16/2013 - canan wrote: 94 Points
BYO - Erik (Frederiksberg): Black currant and spicy tobacco nose.
Spicy black currant flavors with a lot of freshness left. Rustic, sweet and juicy but overall very nice.
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5/5/2013 - Vos wrote: 94 Points
- Garnet color with slow forming legs and aromas of blackberry, licorice anise, smokey and cherry. It's balanced and has flavours of mint, blackberry and coffee with a medium/full body. Polished texture with a medium finish - With only 1 hour of being decanted the wine was quite closed. As time progressed, it started to open up and become very complex. Next time a 3 h decant will be the minimum to start. This is a marvellous wine paired up fantastic with rack of lamb.
Will definitely improve with a few more years but be careful not to overdo it as there is not a massive amount of tannins left!
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5/4/2013 - GalvezGuy wrote:
CT Texas V - North Dallas Forty and then some; 5/3/2013-5/5/2013 (McKinney, North Dallas, TX): This particular bottle was still as hard as nails. Nose of bell pepper, dark fruits, hints of anise. On the palate, dominated by the bell pepper notes with hints of red and black fruit peeking through. Not scored as I think this is still shut down.
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4/19/2013 - MWiking wrote: 94 Points
Riktigt bra vin! på näsan lite hö, stall, mörk frukt champinjon och potatiskällare.
smaken är bara ljuvlig.
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4/18/2013 - Ramberg wrote: 94 Points
4 wines in this blind flight, all turning out being 2:em Left Bank 1996 Bordeaux.
Chateau Cos d’Estournel, Pichon – Longueville Baron, Léoville las Cases, Rauzan – Segla.
This has a beautiful nose, with green peppers, some boiled vegetables, black currant and nice mature Bordeaux tones with typical stable and hay fragrance.
On the palate this has the typical 1996 high acidity, with an excellent balance between acid and fruit.
Great long finish.
Still a lot of room for development, since this is still a young and vital wine.
Drinking very, very good right now.
Excellent Cos!
My blind guess was a 1996 Margaux Chateau (did not specify which) , as I found some traces of Margaux soil in this wine.
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3/30/2013 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
Dark fruit, cassis, nose of licorice, tobacco, plums. Silky and pure, long finish. Very fine.
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3/20/2013 - igaf wrote:
Med+ deep ruby with cherry tinge and a slightest hint of age. Intense nose of red forest berries and underbrush. Traces of oak are still there, but rather well integrated, balanced. With a few hours of air the nose got very rich, with floral, strawberry, blueberry notes. Med. body. Red currants and cherries on the velvety palate, good tannic grip. Balanced, ripe, but fresh enough. Slightly spicy finish in a very pleasant way. Very good length. Some cocoa, earth and cassis in the aftertaste. Fine middle-aged claret.
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3/6/2013 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Austere with light blackberry; smooth soft and elegant; tannins still not fully intrgrated; let it be for a while.
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2/9/2013 - paulst Likes this wine: 92 Points
Rubber and graphite nose; wonderful but subtle expression of notes of earthy, herbaceous, light licoricey-blackberry; complex, smooth and lean; a bit short of length and the tannins are dry and still integrating and maturing so time is required.
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1/14/2013 - DonalOB wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for only an hour. Strong cassis on the nose right from the bottle open. Very nice. Beautiful tannins.
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1/14/2013 - RayOB Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank in Hong Kong - thank's Donal
Silky smooth with lots of complexity. Wonderful array of earth, tobacco and cassis.
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12/31/2012 - mplsbruin Likes this wine: 91 Points
12/31/2012
Massive Cos D’Estournel Blind Tasting
73, 76, 78, 89, 96, 2000, 2002, 2003
Notes: "good bouquet, oddly less fruit than '76, cedar notes, solid Bordeaux style"
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12/29/2012 - rsbeck wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 2.5 hours, consumed over next 90 minutes. Classic; layers of dark fruit, cedar, tobacco, leather, forest floor. Still very youthful. Needed all of the air I gave it and could have used even more. Could also use a little more acid for better balance, still early in its evolution.
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12/28/2012 - englishman's claret wrote: 94 Points
375ml. Deep robe, showing brick at the disc. At first a dense, plummy, muddy nose; all muscle and no finesse. But with a couple hours in the decanter, this develops into something a little more patrician. Still earthy, but less muddy. Still the tightly packed, dense plum fruit but with lavender and a more crystalline delineation. Such a generous bouquet. So ripe on the palate with velvet tannin and a long blueberry and chocolate finish.
In a way, the profile reminds me of a younger version of the '89. Drinking now from half bottle but towards the beginning of the plateau. The balance is excellent and this is is so tightly packed with fruit that it will age for years.
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12/24/2012 - lator wrote: 89 Points
No formal notes. 89-90 points.
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12/16/2012 - Wine Canuck Likes this wine: 93 Points
A very nice typical maturing cos. Not always as wild and showy as others in the left bank, but subtle and complex. Lots of tar, ash, spicebox, violets, and tart red fruit. I think there is a musty old barrel note that is notable in this vintage, it had us wondering about TCA taint, but our concerns were unfounded as this eventually opened up to become lovely. Very classically proportioned at a nice balance of primary and secondary notes. Drinking well and should continue to do so for years to come.
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12/16/2012 - Lord of the Bottles Likes this wine: 93 Points
Lovely wine, once it opened to reveal dark fruit, musty oak, cedar, spice and a long smooth finish.
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11/23/2012 - JustOneMore wrote: 86 Points
This was a monster of a wine back in the early 2000's. I remember opening a bottle, and the aroma of smoke filled the room. This was one of my favorite wines of any vintage, appellation or chateau.
Upon opening, only a small part of its former self remained. Smoke, leather, tobacco are present in muted amounts. A slightly tannic and gritty mouth feel develops after breathing an hour or so. The following day it became slightly acidic. Perhaps if I had let it breathe for three days, the outcome may have been different.
If the bottle was priced at $60, like the first bottles I bought, I may give it a higher score. However, at over $200 / bbl, it's a disappointment. Unless you purchased at release, I would avoid purchasing from any source other than directly from the Chateau no matter how much the seller proclaims the provenance.
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11/20/2012 - james-chu wrote: 92 Points
a bottle from good codition. you can drink now but better to give it more time .it very like 86 cos, not as sweet as 90 and 95 but more structure. secondary boutique just start to develope.if i taste this bottle after 5~8 years i will rate it higher .
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11/17/2012 - europat55 wrote: 94 Points
K&L Grand Bordeaux Tasting (Redwood City, California): Wow! What a wine! Some browning on the edges. Gorgeous nose with a good barnyard/leather smell. Well integrated palate. Very long finish. Still seems to have room to improve over time!
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11/3/2012 - unrelenting wrote: 95 Points
Chicago Racquet Club
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11/2/2012 - MauriceE wrote:
Not completely clean, hints of cork
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10/27/2012 - Rex66 wrote: 94 Points
Decanted almost five hours. Super rich and concentrated, tannins are really smoothing out.
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10/16/2012 - Papies wrote: 94 Points
1996 Red Bordeaux (Medoc) , with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): Among the nicest CdE wines we have tried for a some time. The colour is still on the young and dark side. Cab sauv dominated aromatics, very open and aromatic on the nose, with spicy notes, light earth, light toasty oak and a touch on the floral side. Much like the Palmer this has a singing old school bdx classic nose. Good fruit across, mineral and with good acidity. A touch of dark fruits too and with a bit of weight on this and although young and quite tannic on the finish this is quite a beauty. Could use another 5-7yrs in bottle and will evolve into something special. 93-94 easy
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9/26/2012 - Zweder wrote: 94 Points
Beautiful and classical bouquet with cassis, other dark forest fruits, smoke, cedar, and a touch of sweetness. On the palate a meaty and juicy wine with dark berries, earth, a bit pleasant acidity, beautiful acidity and tannin with still a lovely bite. In the first half of its maturity stage and supple and juicy now. I have a few, so there will be a follow up. Probably in 2015 or 2016. 94+ for today.
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9/22/2012 - jkoenen wrote: 92 Points
Cos-Montrose Battle (Restaurant Bottles, Sas van Gent): Very sweet, sexy and dense. Powerful and alcoholic. Seemed quite young and unevolved to me. Hard to pin down. Dusty, earthy, plummy fruit. Looking for balance, focus and direction, but a really nice wine. Felt that this particular one was in desperate need of decanter time... 18/20
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9/21/2012 - jgdavis wrote: 96 Points
Drinking exceptinoally well. Great nose and full body.
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9/20/2012 - cabber wrote: 95 Points
Bordeaux Blends Around the World (Manhattan Beach, CA): Splash decanted and served. Very nice. Exactly what one would expect from this wine. Fine tannins, minerality and good acidity, all in balance. Loved it.
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8/4/2012 - millesime66 wrote: flawed
Bouchonnée ! Après 13 ans d'attente...
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7/27/2012 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
Cos like it ought to be. Needs decanting, 1hr or so as this is so youthful and this time round it had a bit of bitter tannin on the finish(this is the 4th TN in 4yrs for us). Still we loved the sheer class in this whine, the balance the minerality and vibrancy. Another great showing from a very good wine. Will keep the rest of our bottles for 5+ yrs though. Lets see how the 95 is behaving.. 93 and well worth it.
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7/14/2012 - mwanasheria wrote: 94 Points
Pure, with silky tannins, dense, dark fruit, cassis. Approachable, but needs some time in the glass.
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6/24/2012 - mdefreitas wrote: 94 Points
Various Wines @ Salil's (Vernon, CT): It's been about 13 years since I last had this wine and not much has changed. It is still of wonderfully, painfully young wine with so much potential and upside. The fruit is rock solid, the leather and earth notes add complexity, the structure is bountiful. A slight stalky streak that adds complexity, but this is definitely not "green". I would keep these stashed in the cellar for another decade, at least.
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6/24/2012 - mikechw wrote: 93 Points
I opened this on my birthday dinner.. Lovely aroma upon opening.. The color is clear ruby red..
Opens up in about 1.5 hours.. Tannins are fully integrated.. Great balance of spices, cherries, cedar.. This one is ready to drink and should last a few decades.
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6/24/2012 - salil wrote: 93 Points
Weekend drinks at my place (Vernon, CT): Still very youthful but surprisingly approachable with some air, showing a core of youthful cassis and dark fruited flavours framed by tobacco, cedar wood and graphite elements. With time a faint green herbal note emerges that adds a sense of freshness and complexity. There's great balance and finesse here, and while it's very enjoyable now I suspect it'll turn into something quite stunning with enough time.
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6/23/2012 - indiscriminate palate wrote:
Long overdue short notes from Salil's (Vernon): Young. Yummy. Green. Excellent fruit and structure, but oh so young and unintegrated. Hold. And then, hold more.
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6/10/2012 - Grubleren wrote: 93 Points
The nose i shoving much more than the taste. I had great hopes for this wine, because when I opened it, it filled the room with great aromas of dark fruit. Sadly even after some time - 2 hrs in decanter, it did not produce enough body to follow the great nose. Still allot of acidity and quite stringent - maybe it should laye much longer?
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6/8/2012 - RTaylor wrote: 91 Points
Tasted at The Sampler. Big, dark wine. Long finish. Lovely.
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6/7/2012 - pjaines wrote:
Exactly where you would expect this wine to be - wonderful balance of structure, tannins and fruit with some seconday characteristics coming through. Menthol, liquorice and minerals. Just creeping into the drinking window but years ahead of it.
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5/28/2012 - anonymoose12345 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Delicious. Just delicious. Confident but not showy. Exotic spices on the nose. Very fresh, silky mouthfeel, long finish.
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5/22/2012 - Alex H wrote: 91 Points
Polished dark cherries, Pencil shavings, Indian exotic spices , curry masala and violets all in a chicken coop basket covered in manure and horse sweat. An assault on the senses. Lithe with understated power like a black puma.
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5/5/2012 - KeithAkers wrote:
Celebrating Tooch's move to Chicago (Browntrout, Chicago IL): nose: the nose on this was wonderful right off the bat with flowing tones of cedar, pencil lead, dark red cherries, cranberries, and black currants
taste: balanced, but the palate is lacking some that the nose didn't. Rather odd as it just seems limp with some tones of cedar, cranberries, cedar box and spice tones.
overall: hard to know what was going on the palate. It didn't seem fully there when I first got to it and didn't flesh out too much with the air that I gave it.
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5/5/2012 - tooch wrote: 93 Points
Dinner at Browntrout (Browntrout - Chicago, IL): Great nose of leather, dried florals, tobacco, red fruit and warm herbs. The palate started off a bit mute, but with air it blossomed! Loved the integration of dusty red fruit, underbrush and leather on the palate. Thought it was a great showing, and another example of a '96 Bordeaux drinking in a great spot.
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5/5/2012 - 3daywinereview.com wrote: 93 Points
Killer Bordeaux Tasting (Kevin's House (Minneapolis)): My least favorite of the Bordeaux wines but 93 is still a great score. Just goes to show how great this lineup was. Dark. Bing cherries, gravel, leather, blueberries and graphite. The nose was a little underwhelming but the palate did not disappoint. Medium finish. Drink within the next decade. Decanted 2 hours.
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4/28/2012 - rocknroller wrote: 95 Points
Big Bordeaux III - Kickin' Ass & Takin' Names: Stunning Wines from 1986, 1990, 1996 + 2002 Cristal (Rocknroller's (Kevin's)): Very dark red/purple color. Slow ox for 3 hours followed by a 3 hr decant. This was fairly nice on the nose on initially opening the bottle, but the palate was quite tight. After the decant the palate blossomed. The fantastic nose shows lovely florals, cedar box, graphite, dust, lots of forest floor, cassis, blackberries, black cherry, leather, black raspberry. The palate is deep and full bodied, big, young, intense graphite, rich black fruits as noted, coffee, spices and nice big round and integrated tannins on the long finish. Originally scored this at 94+ and after another hour opening in the glass I had to upgrade it to 95pts.
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4/28/2012 - edjBoca wrote: 94 Points
This takes a while to open up. Decant for a few hours now, or wait. The nose is classic bordeaux. medium to full body cherry and cassis. A good finish. Acid gives this energy. Seamless....no harshness. This should last at least another 10-15 years.
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4/16/2012 - tbuysse wrote: 95 Points
Classic vanilla, roasted coffe Cos smell with a long, powerfull after-taste. Just perfect right now.
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3/28/2012 - RayOB Likes this wine: 95 Points
China Club BYO (Hong Kong): Big nose of Vanilla, cassis, tar, chocolate, leather and earth.
Silky smooth palate with a medium length
Excellent stuff
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3/28/2012 - DonalOB wrote: 95 Points
China Club BYO (China Club, Hong Kong): Intense cassis nose. Also licorice, coffee and spice on the palate. Very enjoyable right now.
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3/3/2012 - Lord of the Bottles wrote: 93 Points
Dark, brooding, purple, nose of wood which opened into fruit with spice as the wood and herbs faded. Very smooth, earth, long finish. Faded a bit towards the end with dry tannins.
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1/26/2012 - Dokken wrote: 93 Points
Ruby with a narrow garnet rim leading to an explosive eucalyptus, cassis, grilled coffee, spicy and oaky nose. Elegant in palate with firm fine-grained tannins and zesty acidity that are in perfect balance. Long coffee like finish. 60%CS-38%M-2%CF.
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1/22/2012 - cooberp wrote:
Nifty nose of blackcurrant and tobacco. But the tannins remain too abrasive for this to be enjoyable yet. Good potential, check back in 5 years.
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1/21/2012 - Porchino wrote: 96 Points
Brilliant maybe even higher score
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1/19/2012 - Burgaddict wrote: 94 Points
Leiden tasting January 2012: Nose still a bit tight, red fruit, some graphite. Taste very intense, cassis, peppery, full bodied but very straight and spicy, linear, beautifull detailed. Very complex. Best wine of the evening.
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1/2/2012 - khmark7 wrote: 93 Points
Massive herbal aromatics and a complex and elegant medium bodied red. Appeared ready to drink upon opening and didn't change much over the hour we consumed the wine.
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12/26/2011 - Fooze wrote: 94 Points
Long life ahead or this beauty with tobacco and espresso/dark chocolate notes.
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12/26/2011 - Fooze wrote: 94 Points
- Garnet color - Long life ahead for this beauty. Tobacco and dark chocolate/espresso notes dominate. Good finish.
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12/19/2011 - Vino Me wrote: 90 Points
3rd time I have had this wine. This one was opened by a friend at dinner at Kiki's Bistro. Drank alongside the 1996 Giscours. This was not showing as well as the previous 2 bottles I had of this in 2005 and 2008 which each got a 93 score from me. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot. The tannins were more prominent in this wine. Purple black color. Not decanted and it tasted rather closed but opened slightly with time. Notes of pencil lead, cassis and cedar. 90+ points.
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12/18/2011 - rherman wrote:
slight cork taint.
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11/25/2011 - Lord of the Bottles wrote: 93 Points
At Roberson's Christmas Wine Tasting (11/24/11). Oak nose, fruit, leather, earth. Lovely wine.
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11/24/2011 - Papies wrote: 93 Points
A Vintage Run, 1994, 1995, 1996 Bordeaux, with Rebecca Lamont (Berry Bros & Rudd, London): Tasted Blind. Aromatic, soft red fruit , earthy notes and light cedar.Lovely nose. Big wine, vibrant , powerfull yet very elegant. No wall of tannins here. Such a great wine a one we need to buy more. Lots of life ahead of it . 93-94
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11/24/2011 - gsquireh wrote: 93 Points
Rich blackberries and cassis, chocolate and coffee, wonderfully structured and concentrated and showing the fruit now. Beautiful balanced and delicious finish.
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11/10/2011 - pikemasterflash wrote: 92 Points
Deep brick red, almost black. After 4 hours of decanting the nose is all cedar. All night the wine tastes cold, notwithstanding the fact that it had been brought up to room temperature. Rustic, gritty flavors that feel somewhat devoid of fruit. Have a soft spot for this one based on prior experiences but just not experiencing what I was expecting tonight
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10/21/2011 - AlexHop wrote: 95 Points
Very nice and elegant. Probably close to it's peak- good idea to drink these soon.
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10/18/2011 - Burgundy Al wrote: 92 Points
Acker Merrall 1996 Left Bank Bordeaux Dinner (Balsan - Chicago IL): Big fruit, already accessible tonight, all quite primary. Nose of black currant, cherry liqueur, espresso and oak spices. Similar on palate. Persistent from beginning to end. Really showing nicely, even if not quite the powerhouse I might have expected.
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10/11/2011 - Yiannis wrote: 94 Points
A wonderful bottle at a very attractive stage of its life. Fairly dark garnet. Amazing aromas of lead pencil, cedar, cassis and ink. Medium-bodied and silky textured with mellowed tannins, bright fruit that became more and more intense with aeration, balancing acidity. Really elegant. Medium, somewhat bitter aftertaste prevented me from awarding an even higher score, otherwise a masterpiece. Very enjoyable at its present stage, with at least another 10 years of life ahead.
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10/2/2011 - WinstonWolfe wrote: 92 Points
Nice minerality, graphite, pencil and red fruits. A touch of sweetness on the finish. Great balance.
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9/22/2011 - Capt Cutlass wrote: 92 Points
From bottle but should have been decanted at this stage. Clean nose of dark brambly fruit (blackberries etc) with just a hint of Bordeaux "funk" in the background. Supple on entry but the tannins clamped down on the finish - wait ideally another 5 years or so. Sleeper vintage. Should improve still and would likely have been much better with an hour or more in the decanter. 92+
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9/3/2011 - wombat wrote: 94 Points
Day 1 Bouquet: Initially very strong barnyard (intense feces and urine, but in a good way!) which settled down a little with time, mushroom, dried blackberry.
Palate: Whole-mouth drying tannins.
Flavor: Earthy, smoky red raspberry, red cherry, leather, tobacco.
Comments: Distinctly more barnyard and earth than the 91 Beringer Reserve Cab. This can go for another 10-15 years easily, this is complex and uncompromisingly Old World.
Day 2 Bouquet: Like Day 1 plus leather.
Palate: No mellowing of those tannins yet!
Flavor: Day 1 plus I noticed a bit more barnyard blending in with the earthiness and cassis and unsweetened cocoa coming in on the mid-palate and finish along with the leather and tobacco. 30 Second plus finish.
Comments: Complexity shines through with a bit more fruit, so I upped the score from 93 to 94. With the Barnyard bouquet, even my 88-year old father could tell this was French. He preferred the fruitier 91 Beringer which is also showing well on day 2.
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8/20/2011 - emkc wrote: 93 Points
Great wine. Clearly in a different class vs the Dominus 98 drank at the same time. Complex nose of black fruits, berries, lead pencil and leather. Everything is in great balance. Decanted for 3 hours and drank for 2 hours. Drinking well now and can certainly be kept for years
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8/7/2011 - cubswinws wrote: 94 Points
Very nice. Slow ox for 4 hours. Classic old style bordeaux. Dark fruits and nice earth and cassis. Drinking nicely now.
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7/23/2011 - Jeff Leve wrote: 90 Points
From a blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, this tobacco, cassis, spice, smoke, forest floor and gravel scented wine is on the lean, austere side. With hard tannins, the wine lacks elegance and charm. There is ample concentration in the wine, and a long cassis finish, but it's just not my style of Cos d'Estournel. With time, it might soften, but I would not bet on it. Fans of traditional styled Bordeaux wine might like this more than I did.
I will need to try another bottle of this wine again in the near future to see if this was a poor showing of a specific bottle, or if the wine has not developed well.
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7/19/2011 - MRichman wrote:
Cos d'Estournel vertical (Morton's NYC): Wonderfully put together. Great strong fruit that is also round and has a soft friendly side. Great integration. Good balance with sweet fruit, dark notes and tannins. My WOTN.
A
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7/3/2011 - JustOneMore wrote: 90 Points
I preferred the '96 Cos when it was young in 2003. I decanted for about an hour and let it breathe in the glass for about another hour. Muted flavors of my previous note. Either I would let breathe in the bottle for 24 hours or revisit the vintage in about 10 years.
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6/30/2011 - GlöckliWein wrote: 97 Points
What an teriffic incredibly wonderful Dirty sexy and long living Wine this is !
"Did it already went to India and back " like the old story tells, becauss it tells you stories about a really good fantastic
good old but Young and existing WINE of Life ?
in TASTE: this wine exhibits a wonderul floral wooden, forest underbrush TASTE .. incredibly long after Taste in
endless Summer Notes of Roses, mushrooms, cedar and Wood, "smoking two joints of Mahrinuana" like a n sex apeal
freshn and young sexiest women of your IMAGINATION....
go for this incredibly GREAT YOUNG bout old school WINE of Cos Estournel 1996 97 / 100 POINTS !!! GREAT !!!!
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5/28/2011 - lumpyelbow wrote: flawed
Yet to be Named Wine Club Meeting #9 (Ida and Laszlo's): Corked but was still enjoyable. Great nose of funk and minerals with good aromatic lift. Shame, this would have been stellar.
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5/22/2011 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Sunday afternoon at the Sampler (The Sampler, South Ken, London): Closed on the nose almost shut down. On th epalate it is less tannic than last tasting but still lost of tannin to go around and it feels so young still. Very good structure and definitely a wine to wait another 10yrs. 92 for now
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5/8/2011 - DirkL wrote: 94 Points
Fantastic. Decanted for about 2 hours, tannins are completely gone and wine has mellowed. Coming of age at this juncture.
Loved it.
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5/4/2011 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
IWFS Bordeaux 2nd Growth BYO (Blu, Shangri-La, Singapore): Wow - this is really coming into its own. It just edged the 1990 Gruaud on the previous flight, perhaps because of its amazingly ability to pair with the tremendous cut of beef that we had. Nevertheless though, it was a wonderful wine by any measure. It had an absolutely lovely nose, rather more opened than the last bottle. After about an hour in the decanter, it showed deep, deep scents of cigar, tobacco, damp earth, dark dark fruit, and a hint of Chinese root herbs. Darkly intriguing stuff. The palate was almost surprising clean and fresh after that, but the same depth picked up on the nose was certainly there, with beautiful dark fruit mingling with spice box and tobacco notes - all showing lovely concentation wed to a first class (or should I say first growth ) sense of definition and focus. The long finish displayed a mouthfull of dark fruit, graphite, spice and cigar notes. Marvellous stuff and again showing wonderful depth paired with gorgeous freshness. This is really coming into its own and should be a world beating wine in another 5-6 years or so.
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4/19/2011 - kingkanu wrote:
decanted for about 1 hr, the nose was very earthy and seductive, sweet fruits and barnyard intermingled, not quite enough acidity to go with my veggie wild garlic risotto, those with the onglet steak probably faired better, but a very good wine, definitely hitting its stride, good length
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4/19/2011 - pjaines wrote:
Just moving into its drinking window, this was utterly brilliant - polished, deep, serene and nuanced black fruit with mint, asian spices and a touch of oak. Very pure fruit and great length. An excellent Cos.
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2/26/2011 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Saturday Tasting Group (Knightsbridge Wine Shop (Northbrook, IL)): Asian spice. More curry and roasted red veg. Stewed bell pepper. More Cedar box. Lots of life left. Drinking might young indeed.
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2/26/2011 - Maverick wrote: 94 Points
beautiful again. worth the wait.
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2/23/2011 - vinole wrote: 91 Points
WS Group Mid-Winter Offline (Himmarshee's - Ft. Lauderdale, FL): Decanted about an hour prior to tasting. Medium body and acidity, some graphite upfront, and reserved blackberry and currant fruit. A drying, slightly tannic, finish hurt my score a bit, and also held out potential that this wine is likely to improve with more age.
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2/19/2011 - Nunwei wrote: 90 Points
This was a complete tannic tar bomb when I drank it 6 yrs ago. WAY better now. Tannins softened quite a bit, leaving some dark fruit and graphite notes on the finish.
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1/30/2011 - lean88j wrote: 91 Points
Had this at the Cos dinner held at Pierrer. The 93 outshined this wine because it had more fruit and development. 96 tonight did not show much nose or concentration tonight. Pratts was in attendance, to be honest, to my palate none of his wines tonight showed particularly well. The way I ranked them 01 and 93 were the better ones, and 96 the last. The Pagodes was not enjoyable. This 96 underperformed its reputation tonight.
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1/23/2011 - tbuysse wrote: 93 Points
Very good and close to his peak. Shows all the elegance and character one expects from this number 1 St Estephe estate.
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1/17/2011 - Flavito wrote: 94 Points
Massive, definitely not ready yet...
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1/14/2011 - La Cave d'Argent wrote: 94 Points
This wine was tasted in unblinded fashion at Tapenade restaurant in La Jolla, CA. The bottle was kindly provided by Ken Johnson and my tasting was with a beautiful braised venison dish. The wine was decanted approximately one hour prior to consumption (which I suspect was not enough time). Opaque ruby/red robe with red rim. Clean nose, showing primary aromas of black currants, smoke, mocha and earth. Full-bodied on the palate, with medium acidity and big (fairly supple) tannins. The flavors mirror the nose. The middle palate is solid and the finish is long and quite smooth. This wine is a powerhouse which will likely improve with further cellaring. It has the fruit and structure to last for many years thereafter. Drink 1/16-12/30.
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12/31/2010 - DLT wrote: 94 Points
Decanted about an hour before drinking. Deep, dark purple color. Nose shows leather, cassis, black fruits and smoke. Palate follows with dark cherries, leather and earthy tobacco on the attack, with smooth but substantial tannins hitting on the midpalate through the medium long finish. Lots of time left for this wine, but very approachable now. Great bottle. 5+14+18+8.
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12/29/2010 - miso02 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 3-4 hours, which is necessary to soften the strong tanins. Deep cassis flavours with à hint of pepper and soft vanilla. Nice balance between fruit and tanins. Drink now and probably the next 10 years.
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12/13/2010 - sethmorgenlong wrote:
A slight concentration of TCA really put a damper on the full enjoyment of this bottle. But we still drank it and made the most of it...I hate corked bottles, such a shame.
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12/5/2010 - jtinto Likes this wine: 93 Points
Beautiful wine after decant. Dark in color that hits different notes start to finish. Cherry, spice, earth, currant flavors with fine (still firm and exuberant) tannins. Long finish. Drink or hold.
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11/28/2010 - Ricky99 wrote: 85 Points
Something wrong
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11/27/2010 - Paul S wrote: 94 Points
Peter's Exit Dinner (Imperial Treasure Super Peking Duck, Paragon): A lovely Claret just beginning to exit its awkward adolescence. This showed far, far better than the last bottle I had. Although it was still young, it certainly gave me much hope for the couple of bottles I have ferreted away somewhere. Thought it was a Pauillac at first, but picked it out as a 1996 Cos when our attention was drawn to St. Estephe. It just had a classic Cos nose of tobacco, wet leafy forest floor, black tea and some woody, minty cedar bark scents. The palate marked it as coming from a strong cab sauv vintage. Lots of clean, pure, cool cassis flavours. Nothing forced, nothing extracted, just perfectly ripe, wonderfully pure fruit held in lovely balance by fresh acidity and given structure by fine tannins. Little capsicum hints marked the palate as the wine sunk into a deep, long finish full of more dark fruit and wreathes of long cigar smoke finish. Still a bit primary, but a real joy to drink, and when paired with lamb, just absolutely wonderful.
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11/15/2010 - Dhayek wrote: 97 Points
Great friends, great wine
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11/1/2010 - keithstg wrote: 93 Points
Singing right now after a 3 hour decant.
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10/10/2010 - fekfouri wrote: 94 Points
Delicious, spicy, animal touches, cedar. Complex, long, elegant.
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10/3/2010 - dsimmons Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is the only bottle of this wine that we have. Decanted for about an hour. The wine is browning a bit. The nose is earthy, with currant and cedar. The flavors are still very concentrated with nice balance. The flavor is earth, tart blackberry with plenty of tannin to carry on. The cherry fruit took a while to emerge. Long finish. I would recommend giving this wine more decant time, perhaps 2-3 hours. This will go well with the moose stew later this evening.
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9/17/2010 - James Arthur wrote:
Still rather tannic. Not great depth. B+. Could use more time.
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8/27/2010 - Ho Bryan wrote: 94 Points
Same as previous. Even more impressed after tasting the 03 and the 01 in the interim. Great nose, mouthfeel, and longevity in the aftertaste. Some smoke, earth, and a touch of green (but not in the usual bitter way) and lovely long raisiny finish. Still very tannic, think it has a long way to go.
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8/20/2010 - jkoenen wrote: 94 Points
Hedonistic Diner, Part 2 (Restaurant Le Défi, Sprang-Capelle): Gorgeous, classical beauty. Smoky and savoury notes on top of a dense structure and deep complexity. Really, really beautiful and starting to drink very well. 18.5/20
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8/20/2010 - Zweder wrote: 93 Points
Beautiful bouquet with pleasant barnyard and a lot of cassis and smoky oak. Also cassis and other black fruits in the taste. The tannin is soft but still powerful. Complex and great wine which is already very approachable.
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8/6/2010 - Lordswood wrote: 89 Points
Decanted in the morning, this is still a couple of years off being ready. The nose had a lift and freshness to it - as did the initial taste - before the tannins and the shutters come down. Leave it for a couple more years before trying again. You have to be good to see this as a 95 point wine at the moment - with an imagination (or maybe experience) way beyond mine.
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7/19/2010 - skorstad@mac.com wrote: 92 Points
A bit disappointing compared with 96 Pichon Lalande and 96 Grand Puy Lacoste. Lacked power and perhaps longevity?
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7/13/2010 - petitblanc wrote: 91 Points
Looking very youthful and dense. Excessive greenness and passing notes of soiled diaper blew off after a couple hours. Nose and palate still showed pleasant greenness, with flashes of spice and dark fruits. Nothing outstanding in the flavor profile, but tremendous mouthfeel and balance made this a pleasure to drink. Based on this bottle, I don't see a huge upside to further aging.
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6/25/2010 - don_quichotte wrote: 92 Points
Still pretty primary but showing its bordeaux pedigree through notes of earth, leather and tobacco. Long and classy but long life ahead. Was a bargain at the "old" prices, not sure that it makes sense at today's prices...
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6/22/2010 - Wink wrote: 91 Points
Tasted as part of Cos d'Estournel vertical with Cincinnati Mondiale du Vin ('82, '85, '96, '00, '05). My third favorite of the line-up. Translucent purple. Nose of black cherry, graphite, and menthol. Medium to full palate of black cherry, tart blackberry, espresso, and nicely integrated oak. Excellent finish. Refreshing acidity Youthful tannins. Nice energy and verve.
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6/10/2010 - Margauxguy wrote: 90 Points
Still way to young. Tight and reticent initially, opened with heavy cigar tobacco on the nose. A touch minerally and herbal on the palette and never opened up with fruit or complexity. I hope this comes around
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5/28/2010 - isdblm@lsu.edu wrote: 96 Points
Still lovin' it. Fills the mouth beautifully. Some way to go, yet.
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4/10/2010 - Miceri wrote: 92 Points
Nice rounded nose, classic Bordeaux; soft and pleasant; not so complex, little aftertaste; good, pleasant but somehow quiet
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4/4/2010 - Ho Bryan wrote:
Just splendid. Drinking well now and still lots of distance to go.
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4/2/2010 - grapist wrote: 95 Points
Consistant with previous. This is a great bottle of wine.
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3/14/2010 - Winevestor wrote: 94 Points
I was lucky and had the 99 cos earlier in the evening followed by this 86 later. They were difficult to tell apart! Although the 86 is now 24 years old it is still vital and youthful. Formidable structure and big backbone of fruit. A classic Cos. This is not for the faint-hearted and I'm glad I was pairing it with steak. Deep blueberry, leather and a whiff of the bell pepper nose.
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2/23/2010 - DAN BAILEY wrote:
From magnum. Utterly insanely young! Pitch black fruit with massive tannins. Might as well chew coal! Will be great but needs 50 years in this format.
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1/30/2010 - tplskylrk wrote:
Mortons Madness (Hong Kong Mortons): Dark red hues, a bit of age showing. Looks good, and the fragrance wafting form the decanter says yes. Spiced cake, Xmas pudding Asia spice. Light on its feet, but complex, depth. Lingers forrrrever. Beautiful craftsmanship. Thanks Jo for the wine & comments. I am unworthy!
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1/3/2010 - isdblm@lsu.edu wrote: 96 Points
In a very lovely stage with beautiful balance and a charming floral bouquet--the tannins have given way to nicely integrated notes of vanilla, caramel, menthol, black currants and cedar, conducing to a silky, somewhat lengthy finish.
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12/25/2009 - Chasse_spleen wrote: 92 Points
A powerful wine still in its youth, although with the adolescence behind it! Tannins and acidity not fully merged, lots of fruit. Can live many years more.
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12/22/2009 - bwaverley wrote: 90 Points
It took a good hour to two of decanting time before the complexity and fruit really emerged. Overwhelming earth and funk gave way to menthol, dark cherries and subtle hints of vanilla. Also tar and smoke here to add to the confusion. Good but not outstanding bottle of Bordeaux. Could go another 5 to 7 years.
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11/26/2009 - nhwineguy wrote: 89 Points
Opened five hours prior to Thanksgiving dinner. Bought from Zachy's and stored in personal wine cellar. COLOR: Deep purple color with a slight red brick edge. NOSE: On the nose, a nice expression of the St. Estephe terrior, but much of that nice fruit bouquet and aroma has melted away. TASTE: Medium body and very balanced with silky smooth tannis, and nice length through the mid-palette. Just not much fruit left and not much complexity left either. Overall, pretty much as you would expect from an aged Bordeaux. Perhaps a little tired and limp. I was expecting much more. I would call it interesting, but not exciting. Very nice match with turkey, stuffing and mashed potatoes. I suggest sampling a bottles soon if you have any stock in your cellar.
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11/25/2009 - Baron Samedi wrote: 92 Points
Colour: Still a dense, purplish red. Nose: Classic St Estephe nose of cigarbox, licorice, dark fruit and a hint of barnyard. Palate: More of the same dark fruit, medium length, a bit tannic towards the end. It did seem to flatten out a bit after a while in the glass.
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11/19/2009 - Papies wrote: 92 Points
Bordeaux 95 vs 96 with Richard Brazier (Handford Wines, London): Side by side 95vs96 @ Handfors's Tasting with Richard Brazier.
big nose of fruit , pure fruit. Tons and Tons of big tannins. Backward and austere. We prefereed the 95 much more, at this stage at least. This baby needs 10yrs++
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11/18/2009 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
Flickinger Wines Customer Appreciation Tasting (The Casino Club, Chicago, Illinois): Aromas of tobacco, leather, earth and cedar. Well-balanced, with red fruit and leather tones. Nice finish, with plenty of fruit.
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11/9/2009 - jim dixon wrote: 93 Points
Initially warm and earthy with some graphite but secondary flavors from age definitely emerging now. (Did not get barnyard (brett)) After an hour or so the wine gains depth and richness. Somewhat surprisingly ,it seemed to dry out and become less giving by hour four.
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11/8/2009 - g-man wrote: 90 Points
Decanted for 3 hours before tasting. Compared to my last bottle this was much younger and much less yielding. Based on this I would hold off another five years before trying again.
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11/7/2009 - JOsgood wrote: 94 Points
Followed over several days. Upon opening the nose was of such stinky barnyard it was unbelievable. The next day the nose was pure dirt, no stinky stuff. On the palate this was earthy and complex. A real treat to taste.
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10/26/2009 - Harry Cantrell wrote: flawed
There was the slightist hint of TCA here-with all the variable notes on this wine, I wonder if they had a problem?
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9/7/2009 - g-man wrote: 93 Points
My first bottle of this and did a quick double decant about 4 hours before having. Aging very nicely with the fruit coming through with the tanins in check. Great definition and focus to the wine. Some floral notes with tobacco and dark fruit coats the palate. I'll let my other bottle rest a few more years and anticipate it wil be fully mature by then.
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8/30/2009 - Tubbs wrote:
Textbook St.-Estephe. Textbook Cos. Similar to previous notes. Drink now with 2+ hours of decanting or hold for 10+ years.
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8/29/2009 - winenuts wrote: 92 Points
This is my 2nd bottle for the last several months. This one is vertical with the 1997, when open just like the last bottle, still not yet open, everything is not yet together. the taste is flat and nose is not strong, mild and hard to smell, however, after decanting for almost 3 hours, the wine is change, the nose is became better and having after taste. Believe this one should keep for another 5 years. Parker rated 95 is too much on the high side. Need wait and see.
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8/23/2009 - euge.lee wrote: 94 Points
Drinking very well after a 1 hour decant. Very nice dark fruit with some graphite. Not sure how this will evolve over the next few years but if you must, opening a bottle now is not a bad idea at all.
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8/22/2009 - Jeremy Holmes wrote:
This was a horse with a band aid on its back, stabled in a chicken coop…yep, bret city!
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8/15/2009 - BinVA wrote: 92 Points
Nick and Emily loved it. I thought it was very good and got better as it opened up over an hour. Didn't have the legs to get any better after an hour, but very smooth, very classic Bordeaux
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8/8/2009 - pikemasterflash wrote: 94 Points
This wine never disappoints and is drinking fantastic right now. Deep crimson red, soft but fragrant nose. The wine is so smooth with leather notes in the middle and a reasonable, but not ever-lasting finish. Great bottle of wine.
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7/29/2009 - DonWinspear wrote: 93 Points
Had this with tenderloin steak and sauteed mushrooms at a local restaurant. Ruby garnet color in the glass. The nose exhibits an initial sense of forest, mushroom, classic french terroir. Upon tasting, the wine displays wonderful layers of currant, truffle, dark berries, touch of graphite. Over the next hour or so, the wine relaxed considerably and evolved into a smooth, very well rounded bouquet - much of the initial funk was lost completely and instead reflected the palate qualities of the wine. This was the downside of purchasing at a restaurant; not enough time to properly decant for the hour or two that would truly benefit the wine.
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7/12/2009 - blanquito wrote: 93 Points
BWE does Manhattan: a 1996 & 2003 Bordeaux Retrospective: Starts off a little funky, but this blows off into a classic claret bouquet of earthy notes, cassis and wood. Great fleshy mid-palate, this eventually shows the best sweetness. Four of us had this as wine of the flight. (4 1st-place votes, 1 3rd-place vote = 13 pts)
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6/8/2009 - kjarthur wrote: 91 Points
I decanted for one hour. Dark cherry, pencil lead, leather, stone, faint tobacco, and maybe licorice but only fleetingly. Very, very smooth just short of silky. Wish we had bought more back then but it was our first venture.
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6/6/2009 - jivey wrote: 95 Points
possesses an opaque purple color, as well as pure aromatics consisting of cassis, grilled herbs, coffee, and toasty new oak. Massive in the mouth, and one of the most structured and concentrated young Cos d'Estournels I have ever tasted
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5/23/2009 - Paul S wrote: 93 Points
1996 left-bank Bordeaux tasting with lots more (Richfield, Lam Soon Building, Singapore): I had some vested interest in this wine since I have a few bottles lying around - so I got quite worried when I could not tell it out from the other wines in terms of quality when blind, and even more so when it was unveiled. Suffice to say, I was not blown away. Good, I thought, but not outstanding, even with a few hours of decanting. Thankfully, it really came into its own at the very end of the afternoon when we retasted it. At first, the nose had some telltale Cab Franc signs of green capsicum, along with stewed meat, some damp leaves, soy and earth and a toasty element. There was a little high-toned component in there as well, threading the line between flowers, glycerin and varnish - most likely the alcohol here. That faded a little with time though, and then I got the telltale graphite and tobacco leaf - with all the elements pulling together rather dramatically. The palate was probably the most polished of the lot on display, it was soft, lush and plush, very rounded with cassis and plums and lots of richness all round moving into a finish that showed dashes of spice and pinpricks of pepper. Just a liitle uni-dimensional I thought. Only at the very last hour did it really open up to show more cassis, tobacco and roasted capsicum notes, all held in a lovely balance. The difference was quite dramatic especially moving into the finish, which put on lots of weight and sappy fruit. This needs a lot more time yet. It is heading in the same direction as the stupendous 1990 and may indeed overtake it given some time.
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5/16/2009 - ews3 wrote: 84 Points
Bordeaux Tasting ("Chateau McClure Roberts", Philadelphia PA): very disappointing -- having had this recently, this bottle was very different. i do not believe it was flawed, as it wasn't corked smelling, and the cork looked fine (nor were the flavors indicative of heat damage). very green on the nose, with grass, forest, and cedar showing through with time. medium-long finish shows the quality here.
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5/16/2009 - jrobs7777 wrote: 86 Points
Survey of Bordeaux (Our House -- Philadelphia): Not sure what was up with this wine. It may have been a flawed bottle, but the I did not think so, and the consensus was that it was not flawed. Dark color. Big hamster cage nose. Wood chips. Funk. Never blew off. Really off putting. Much more enjoyable on the palate with red fruit, but it lacked the spice and complexity that I expect from a Cos. Medium finish that petered out. For a wine of this pedigree and a wine that still should have a long life ahead of it, this was disappointing.
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4/23/2009 - ParkHill wrote: 90 Points
Everyone seems to love this. Very tasty, but not extraordinary. I'm willing to defer to others who are more informed on expensive 2nd growths. I did like the fact that this isn't a jammy fruit bomb. It is so nice to have a BDX with cedar and cabernet flavors.
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4/17/2009 - sfqwino wrote: 94 Points
Cos d'Estournel Masterclass: The fruits have melded niced with the concoction of primary and secondary flavours. Spice, green pepper, stalk, mushrooms, dried flowers and hints of cured meat. Complex and delicious. Very impressionable.
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4/17/2009 - Whitman wrote: 95 Points
I'm a great fan of this wine and this example was more backward and younger than the bottle I had last summer, but it was still exeptional. Classic nose with lead pencil and graphite and almost tar. The palate was intense, long and so complex and elegant with black cherry. A beauty.
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2/28/2009 - B Paul wrote: 92 Points
This was a very nice bottle of wine - perhaps it might have scored higher for me had it not followed a '95 Haut Brion. Although approachable, it probably wouldn't hurt to give this a couple more years.
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2/15/2009 - Harry Cantrell wrote: 91 Points
deep garnet. Nose initially was Bretty-very cow manure-but slowly, over 2-3 hours more sweet fruit came around. Taste was a medium weight Bordeaux. Not bad, but I expected more.
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2/6/2009 - jeffm_fla wrote: 86 Points
very disappointing. Strong vegetal strain (green olives?)that overpowered other flavors
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2/2/2009 - rikipedia Likes this wine: 91 Points
Terroir-istes International - France, Bordeaux 1996 Vintage (Rodwell House): A bouquet of earth, cedar, truffle and mushroom with a lovely intensity behind it.
A broad fruit spectrum balanced by lively acidity and fine-grained tannins. Full-bodied, the wine has an amazing depth of flavour with a core of black fruit and persistent length. There is a mineral, saline edge, enough fruit to provide material, a sprinkle of peppercorns, and pencil lead. A smart wine!
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1/18/2009 - peternelson wrote: 93 Points
Tom A: Exotic, baby fat on the nose and mth! Frt, floral notes, huge mth; tight also, like the lynch. Pine sap, very nice; 92 now, 94 in 10 yrs?
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1/18/2009 - WetRock wrote:
EWG Bordeaux with Flannery and a couple Champers (Tom Altmayer's): Cedary nose leading to a thick rich palate full of baby fat still. Plenty of potential here but a ways from its peak. Very good.
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1/10/2009 - jordanj wrote: 93 Points
I have had this wine several times and I keep wondering when this will ever wake up. Very layered and silky with great fruit. But my first bottle I had in 2002 was just as asleep. wake up sleepy head.
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1/10/2009 - grapist wrote: 95 Points
Decanted for over 2 hours and open in the bottle at the restaurant for another hour and a half. Elegance and character! I think this is about the peak- for this bottle anyway. Unmistakably Bordeaux. Color was good, no bricking. Fabulous nose and long finish.
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1/5/2009 - Maverick wrote: 94 Points
2nd one in 2weeks. What a treat.
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1/5/2009 - ikkaariainen wrote: 93 Points
Enjoyed with Kim and CT good friends neighborbill and sidboy at a very interesting pre-New Year's get-together 12/30. This was enjoyed in an after-dinner tasting as part of a tasting trio against an '86 Chateaus Cos d'Estournel and an '89 Dominus and was a very good bottle as the previous one also was but in this trio, much to my surprise, was actually my least favorite being slightly edged out by the Dominus flavor profile and with the '86 older brother being much better then both. It was decanted for two hours, not sure whether a significantly longer decant of say 4-6 hours would have improved it or would too much fruit have blown off by that time. Overall tasting impressions very consistent with previous bottle: nose initially of mild barnyard and musk which blew off quickly with remaining dark cherry. Very smooth with great mouth feel. Primary flavors included initial granite and chalk with notes of graphite, well balanced dark stone fruit, leather, tar and anise developing. Recommend decanting for at least 2 hours. Outstanding bordeaux, based on this experience this wine has an additional 5-10 years of improvement left under appropriate cellaring conditions.
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1/1/2009 - jivey wrote: flawed
New Years 09 - Corked!
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12/31/2008 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
New Years Eve Dinner (Home): Corked.
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12/18/2008 - ews3 wrote: 91 Points
still extremely young -- red fruit still there with quite an underpinning of tannin. some subtle tobacco notes, but this is still remarkably primary. medium length finish.
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12/5/2008 - davergny wrote: 94 Points
(Cos vertical @Il Corso, NYC 12/3/08) Long, enticing, intense, displayed tobacco, red berries and herbs on the palate. Creamy texture, rich and slightly sweet. Excellent wine.
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12/5/2008 - mbrookes wrote: 89 Points
This is an intriguing wine. A beautiful dark colour right to the edge, on the nose there's a subtle hint of manure / ripe cheese which disipates quickly. Amongst those expected, it took me a while to pinpoint a very distinct flavour coming through - elderberry (think slightly astringest black cherry). A tangy mid-palette adds a freshness that belies it's middle-age. Moderate tanins and good length add to the overall picture. Recommended if you're looking for something different from Bordeau - it almost wants to be a CDP!
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11/22/2008 - Wrighty wrote: 90 Points
Decanter Fine Wine Encounter (Landmark Hotel, London): Deep colour with some clarifty at the edge. Nose is a little lean, green pepper again and some spice. Palate is a little woody followed by a clean fruit. Clean, lean finish.
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11/21/2008 - ikkaariainen wrote: 93 Points
Very good well aged bordeaux enjoyed with Kim at Delmonico's at the Venetian in Las Vegas for lunch. Very dark red, very pleasant mouth feel, full bodied and complex, well integrated and smooth, weaker on the fruit then I would have expected which makes me wonder if this is getting slightly past prime. Decanted at the restaurant for just a few minutes before the first glasses were poured, the second glasses were much better then the first suggesting a significant benefit from a longer decant. Nose initially of some mild barnyard and musk which blew off quickly with remaining dark cherry. Flavors included initial granite and chalk with notes of graphite, dark stone fruit, leather, tar and anise developing. Definitely recommend drinking up holdings soon and recommend decanting for 1-2 hours - looking forward to trying remaining bottle under those drinking circumstances at home.
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11/17/2008 - caldwell wrote:
Drank this with Myriah to celebrate her birthday. Fine enough wine - everyone else seems to be having more fun with it than we had. I thought it had a lot of complexity but that it lacked much by way of fruit - which is a surrogate for saying that it wasn't "giving," perhaps.
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10/24/2008 - Jeff Leve wrote: 93 Points
This combines sex appeal with power. It's a large scaled wine filled with ripe, spicy, black fruit. The tannins are round, allowing it to already show nicely. I'll hold mine for at least another decade.
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10/23/2008 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
Second time I have had this wine with a similar score each time. A blackish red color. This was fuller bodied than the 1995 but also much more raw. it had a chalky character with notes of lead pencil/graphite, and black fruit. Lots of grip on the finish. 92-93 points.
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10/18/2008 - pgordon62 wrote: 92 Points
Started with heavy horse stable then revealed a wide range of red and black fruits, cassis and graphite. There was a hint of green bell pepper on the nose that was more pronounced on the palate. Good depth and balance with just a touch of tannin and a pleasing freshness. Would have been even better without that bell pepper.
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9/30/2008 - mmyette wrote: 94 Points
Very nice bordeaux, soft and full bodied, this was open and giving from the beginning. Slate and complex earth on the nose, and the palate was medium to full bodied, with crushed granite, cassis, cedar, and loamy earth on the palate. The finish was long and balanced, with mildly austere tannin structure suggesting that this might have legs to go another 10-15 years.
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9/11/2008 - Ricky99 wrote: 92 Points
Classis St. Estephe - femine and beautiful
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9/8/2008 - simpsonr wrote: 93 Points
This is all pencil lead, cassis and smoke. Not the most flattering or complex showing but worth the ride none the less. This is quite a bit less charming than the last showing a couple years ago but shows depth and potential. Hold.
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9/6/2008 - Rob MacKay wrote: 95 Points
My third and final bottle of 96 Cos was brought up to Seattle for the CellarTracker get together event and it showed very well. See previous notes for more details on the specifics. Of the roughly 15 vintages of Cos I have had, this is one of my favorites.
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8/9/2008 - ewsds wrote: 94 Points
A classic aged St. Estephe. A real beauty that I wished I had more of. Nice classic aged Bordeaux nose, and a long caressing finish with austere finesse. Drank with a couple of friends who know their wines, and they were very pleased as well.
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6/29/2008 - Whitman wrote: 95 Points
Note from memory. The nose was so intense in the beginning that I thought it was a Bonneau CNDP. Then the merlot nuances came through on the nose and palate, which made me guess right bank bdx. The wine seemed mature and was so elegant, pure and precise. Just great.
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6/20/2008 - DM5 wrote: 96 Points
A very nice bottle of Cos '96 was decanted 1 hour before dinner at Bomans restaurant in Sweden. The wine had a wonderful elegant nose of classic Bordeaux style. Currant, cherries, red fruits and some underlying hints of truffles. The taste was full bodied and very deliscious and long. The wine is still its youth and any one drinking this wine after 2020 will most likely have an unforgettable experience.
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6/14/2008 - JeffGMorris wrote: 93 Points
Dinner with Steve & Barb at Bonne Soiree. When this turns out to be the weakest wine of the night you know you've had a great night! Purple in color, the nose jumps out of the glass with an overload of violets and other florals. Medium bodied and very rich on the palate. Very long on the finish and not very tannic. A beautiful bottle. 50+13+13+8.5+8.5 = 93
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5/26/2008 - jsebiri wrote:
thought this was good for sure , would have benefitted from a few more hours of air time i thought , dark color , easy drinking wine lots of fruit not much tannin.....91
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5/24/2008 - mmyette wrote: 95 Points
Drank this next to an 04 Mondavi Reserve. What a contrast. Mineral and fruit dominate this wine, just coming into its drinking window. Slate and rocks on the nose, with ripe berry fruit and licorice intertwined. The palate was medium to ful bodied, and was filled with cassis, slate, some light herbal notes, maybe some cumin. The finish was long, and caressing. This wine has more time, for sure, but it was a beauty right out of the bottle.
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5/23/2008 - J-Sho wrote: 95 Points
Garnet in color. Glorious nose of dark fruit, mineral, and a hint of brown spice. On the palate, was tremendously complex and silky with integrated tannins. Really mouthcoating and full bodied. Long finish. Fantastic bordeaux and for current release prices, this is a steal.
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3/27/2008 - Pianojim wrote: 95 Points
One of my earliest experiences with great aged Bordeaux, drank over a case of this and truly a great food wine, with density but a structure that leaves space for food, doesn't club you over the head but lets you come to it, more recent vintages can seem overly extracted in comparison. Dark fruits, great smoky nose, cedar also. I dont think they make them like this anymore. Also, at around $50/bottle seemed expensive at the time but cheap in retrospect.
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3/3/2008 - NittanyLion wrote:
Amazing nose right out of the bottle - and on the palate dark fruits, tobacco, and that spice characteristic that I associate with Cos. Decanted about an hour and this wine was firing on all cylinders, however I noticed a decline downward after two hours that left me wandering about the longevity of this wine..
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3/1/2008 - grapist wrote: 96 Points
Decanted for 4 hours and served with grilled leg of lamb. Two bottles showing identically. Color was not bright or hugely deep. The nose was fabulous; rich with cedar, dark fruit, and spices. Taste was almost an explosion of complexity. Certainly not over-the-top or "fruit bombish", but intense and delightful. Forever finish. Perfect balance of tannins and acid. Great now and no sign of aging.
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2/29/2008 - nytiger wrote: 94 Points
Wine of the night. Fine color, bordeaux aromas in your face, big flavors and fine finish.
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2/19/2008 - il_diavolo wrote: 94 Points
really excellent bordeaux that more than held its own against 1st growths on the night - long finsih, cedar
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2/1/2008 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
HDH 95/96 Comparative Tasting (Newberry Library, Chicago IL): nose: real nice bordeaux nose that is filled with dark fruit, leather, cassis, and mocha
taste: real big grip on the palate. Tobbacco, dark fruit, cassis, and coffee notes just grip you like a tight glove
overall: real good stuff. Big and bold, a bit backwards and it's now starting to come around and strut it's stuff. It's like a tamed bully in a way, but it still wants to bully you around when it gets the chance
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12/8/2007 - Chasse_spleen wrote: 92 Points
Vigorous and young. Can be drunk now, but will only improve, and improve and improve. I am so glad I have eleven bottles left.
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12/8/2007 - puterdewd wrote: 93 Points
Great nose. Nice tannins provide a good structure. Tasting quite well.
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12/4/2007 - Rupert wrote: 93 Points
Chateau Cos d'Estournel vertical (IOD, London): Pure, direct cabernet nose, silky, plump and spicy, sharp finish, with some grip - a very satisfying claret
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10/19/2007 - KeithAkers wrote: 93 Points
WL Chicago Blind Bordeaux night (my house): nose: real nice traditional bordeaux nose. Leather, tobbacco, pencil shavings, floral notes, and some nice red fruit too.
Taste: extremely easy drinking(though there are some tannins on it for extra backbone). Real lush mouth with cranberry and tobbacco as the main notes. Real nice lasting finish
Overall: I really like this. It's still young, but the structure is there for a really long life and this is a cut above the other wines that were had during this flight of the tasting
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10/13/2007 - Faryan wrote: 94 Points
Opened and found a slightly loose and stained cork. I say loose in that the cork was rotating as I was sliding the end of my wine key into the cork. I was worried a bit to say the least.
I took an initial sip and found good structure and taste (what a relief!). I left it for a mini Auduoze for about 1 hour in the cellar and brought it up for dinner. At first we found a subtle nose of blackberry fruit and violets...very St. Estephe in its expression. Never the less, the wine was a bit reticent.
After 1 hour, the wine began to fill in, as it gained more weight and supple texture. It became a volutuous wine with such a silky texture.
Such a long finish, with each sip seemingly better than the last. Should be a deadringer in 2 years
94GW
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10/9/2007 - MattJ wrote: 92 Points
Still quite closed. Dark fruits on the nose and smoke. Decanted for 6 hours but needed more time. Very smooth and enjoyable with fine tannins but not ready and not nearly as complex on the finish yet as the 03. I wouldn't think about this for at least another 5 - 10 years but room for upside.
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9/20/2007 - cadamson wrote: 91 Points
Still too young. Good fruit, but closed after decanting for 4 hours. Nose of dark fruit and chocolate, with some leather. Good potential.
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9/9/2007 - shaferguy91 wrote: 93 Points
Decanted 4 hours.
Excellent nose , good fruit and a pretty good finish.
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7/21/2007 - Rob MacKay wrote: 95 Points
Double decanted and then sat waiting for about 6 hours. We had this wine along with the 99 and this one stood out by far as the best of the two. Excellent stuff.
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7/18/2007 - winefool wrote: 93 Points
1996 Bordeaux Horizontal (Custom House): Typical Cos nose of spicy cedar warm red fruit. Nice round red fruit with spicy notes and good acidity on the palate. One of the better 96s of the evening.
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7/18/2007 - Nanda wrote: 94 Points
1996 Bordeaux Horizontal (Custom House - Chicago, IL): Aromatically complex with delicious sweet cherry, spice, licorice and smoky notes. Palate has rich, tarry dark fruits. Great texture and mouthfeel. Has restrained power, with all the pieces showing in place tonight.
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6/22/2007 - veniceslug1 wrote: 94 Points
To young. But very good wine. Big rich and bold
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5/12/2007 - JeffW wrote: 94 Points
Nice wine, but it lacks power.
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5/11/2007 - marc d wrote:
This seemed too young right now. Very dry, dusty, earthy nose, thick bodied, some cassis fruit that seemed muddled with a drying tannic finish. Didn't really enjoy this very much. Hold and pray.
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5/8/2007 - ski695 wrote: 92 Points
Tasted from 375 ml. Still tight and fairly tannic. Reminds me of some 86s in style in fact. Lots of left bank cab (i.e. cassis and dark fruited) flavors. Needs plenty of time and for cab lovers.
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4/23/2007 - Eric wrote: 96 Points
Dinner at Eleven Madison Park (New York, NY): Stalk and tar, a wine with great spine. Mmm, dynamic, chewy, some leather, graphite, gorgeous wine. A wonderful showing. I don't drink a lot of Cos, but this taste and a recent taste of the 1982 makes me think I need to fix that.
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4/14/2007 - Siggy wrote: flawed
Tasting Group Dinner (Craig's House): Corked.
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4/14/2007 - Dave Dalluge wrote: flawed
Boxed In at Craig's (DRC, Leroy, Dugat-Py, Rousseau, Dujac, Kistler, d'Yquem and others): Corked.
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3/23/2007 - win wrote: 94 Points
Casual tasting at De Tapas (Dallas, Texas): Beautiful wine, with dry tannins and a hint of olive initially, with the aromas and flavors becoming very expansive. A classic, yet awesome wine. Had alongside the 1986, which was a treat -- preferred the 1986 slightly. 92-97
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3/17/2007 - nestor_leal wrote: 95 Points
Beautiful currant aromas but the secondary aromas lke tobacco and cedar are more impressive. In the mouth it explodes. Decanted for 2 hours and the tannins became really silky and elegant. What a wine, such finesse. Spices, mineralilty....complex long finish.
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3/10/2007 - adammc wrote: 96 Points
Best i've ever tasted. Loads of spice and great long finish. each mouthful seemed to expose more and more. A worthy Christmas season treat with the family
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3/2/2007 - Pacherant wrote: 96 Points
Really singing now. The nose is a glorious blast of tobacco, leather, herbs and fruit. On the palate it is a dense, tightly-wound wine that has layers of flavour. There's a long and satisfying finish. This wine is just great now, but I would guess will continue to improve for another 5 years.
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3/1/2007 - caldwell wrote:
Yup! Beautiful body, nose, etc. This was a handsome bottle of mature Bordeaux.
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2/23/2007 - bevetroppo wrote: 88 Points
Tasted double blind. Pronounced and I mean pronounced cellar floor/terroir. I pegged it quickly as a St. Estephe and guessed '95. The bottle had been open for a few hours and it was still heavily skewed toward a dirt fruit profile that didn't let up until the very end of the decanted bottle. Fruit notes were starting to emerge, and I'm going to guess that this would be at its best in 5-10 years when the edge softens and the fruit claims its rightful position. Not my cuppa tea today , but one must respect the terroir.
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2/10/2007 - BailliSacks wrote: 95 Points
The real thing. Deep dark nose of earth and black fruit. A single focused acid note at the top of the palate, then inky bottom takes over. India ink, clay earth, black fruit, and a bit of oiliness that all go on forever. Some chaulk. Perfect balance and integration. Over about two hours it opened a little, starting to show just a bit of pepper. One might hope for a bit more complexity, which age will likely provide.
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2/3/2007 - fast996 wrote: 92 Points
needs more time. try in five.
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1/27/2007 - JeffW wrote: 94 Points
Decanted for 2 hours. Not enough. Needed another 2 hours to balance the tannins. Very nice floral flavors. Blackberry, lilac and dark cherries. The wine should continue to age very well. Overall the wine is very nice but it lacked depth. I still have several bottles so we'll see how it goes.
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1/9/2007 - grapist wrote: 96 Points
Decanted for over three hours, this followed a '99 Cos. This had everything going the '99 had including youth. It also had much more going on in complexity and layers of fruit and flavors. One of those very fine wines that you can enjoy just the nose almost as much as the taste. IMO the WOTN surpassing the '89 Cos and an '82 Talbot. Drink it now or hold on. This one has lots of years ahead.
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1/5/2007 - ancientvines wrote: 92 Points
A sophisticated wine with good balance. Wow!
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12/29/2006 - ProBob wrote: 96 Points
exceptional. bought in '96 and held until end 2006. drinking marvelously! Fresh, clarity of fruit taste (cherry, or berry) very fine. should be good through 2010.
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12/19/2006 - Maverick wrote: 95 Points
This is true bordeaux. double decant and let it sit for 45min...continued to open up during dinner and by the second glass is what beautiful. Great balance and smooth--tannis gave the perfect kiss and fruit was not too forward with a long lingerning finish.
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11/23/2006 - ProBob wrote: 96 Points
Excellent! about the first case of wine ever bought... Held for 9 years. Fresh, crisp bordeaux. Full of flavor
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11/12/2006 - MCL wrote: 93 Points
Excellent; years ahead of it.
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11/5/2006 - JBBridge wrote: 93 Points
Took from cellar to drink with nephew ATBridge and my wife Cathy at fine restaurant with braised beef short ribs. Decanted for about three hours. In general, great stuff, especially with the short ribs. Beautiful, dark color, hardly any sediment. The nose was full with lots of blackberries, flowers and earth. The tannins were noticeable but sweet, resulting in good structure. Cassis, cherries, tobacco and earth on the palate. Medium long finish. The overall effect was of a young, powerful wine that was entering a good phase. The wine did not evolve over the more than two hours we savored it, however, which made us think that it could probably be decanted for several hours to good effect.
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10/15/2006 - Rob MacKay wrote: 94 Points
At 10 years old, this one is still a baby. The color is very dark, almost opaque, with no hints of age. Very classic Saint Estephe nose of earth, spice and olives. Full bodied with berries, earth, and a little bit of plum flavors and a finish that seemed to last forever.
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10/7/2006 - grapist wrote: 92 Points
Very good but was hoping for great. Somewhat thin and lacking the earthy Saint-Estephe terroir that I was expecting. Way better than your average grape juice...but not up to the pedigree.
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8/28/2006 - keithgg wrote: 93 Points
Open and ready for business. Great stuff!
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8/19/2006 - Captain R wrote: 94 Points
The nose is absolutely lovely on this one. Could smell if for hours. Pencil, Cedar, Orange rind and clove are really sticking out in my mind. The wine itself is huge and classy. Chocolate, great fruit, fantastic balance. I think we are just beginning to see this wine come into it's own. It still seems a little tight to me.
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7/29/2006 - Tubbs wrote: 94 Points
Traveling Methuselah's (The Murray's!): Wow! What an exotic nose - classic Bordeaux cedar, and pencil lead, with some spices thrown in for good measure. Wow again! Loads of chocolate and fruit accompany the usual suspects on the palate. The finish is very long with slightly drying tannins. Even after a good 7 hour decant, this still needs time, 5 - 10 years. It's going to be a helluva wine!
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5/21/2006 - jim dixon wrote: 95 Points
This wine is still young, but is very drinkable at the moment. Initially a nose of cedar and tobacco, with time the fruit comes out and the nose becomes very complex. After about an hour the wine delivered an amazing combination of currant, graphite, chocolate, and earth on the palate. An extraordinary wine, and available (at least in FL) for a very reasonable price.
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5/20/2006 - D. Fulton wrote: 92 Points
Graphite and mineral showing on the nose. On the palate there are notes of bell pepper, pretty ripe fruit, pungent flowers, and an almost musky quality with a note of drug store cologne. Very powerful inner-mouth aromatics. Tasted blind.
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5/15/2006 - babnik wrote: 92 Points
Still a baby. Some initial bottle stink blew off while spending 3 hours in the decanter. Dark, thick, unctuous wine. Aromas and flavors are primarily earthy right now with pencil shavings and currant. Still closed with the remarkable tannic structure says wait at least another 3 years.
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5/8/2006 - MRichman wrote:
1996 Bordeaux Horizontal: Smooth, silky. Gorgeous. Complex with herbs and mint. Warm and full.
On the young side, but entering it's early drinking window.
A-
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5/3/2006 - goofy Yno wrote: flawed
corked
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5/3/2006 - kstoddard wrote: flawed
Phoenix eRP Offline - Bordeaux (Backstreet Wine Salon, Phoenix): Corked
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4/18/2006 - MFong wrote:
4 Decades of Chateau Cos D’Estournel (World Gourmet Summit 2006) (Grand Hyatt Singapore): Dark garnet. Herbal and green nose. Tighter than the 1995. Intense supple attack. Minerally, dry and tannic. Grumpy at this stage but the elegant finish a sign of better things to come.
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3/30/2006 - Tubbs wrote: 95 Points
Monthly Methuselah Tasting (The McCrary's): The color of this is a deep ruby red with little if any bricking. Initially there was some sulfur on the nose but that blew off to reveal absolutely huge toasty notes. It took a long time to pull anything out of this baby but once it opened up - wow! Tons of earthy fruit backed up with slightly grainy tannins and a huge, long spicy finish. This wine is going to be incredible one day, it's way too tight now.
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3/28/2006 - beachbum wrote: 93 Points
Toronto Offline at Reds with Ian Darshan Cauble: Drinking very well toninght but is still a baby. Similar to the 95, but has a lot more in reserve.
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2/25/2006 - simpsonr wrote: 95 Points
Deep, almost opaque garnet in color. This wine opens right away with a lovely coffee, anise, chocolate covered raspberry nose. The mouth is weighty and faily austere with layer upon layer of cassis, coffee, minerals and earthy notes. This is serious wine with a very sexy nose that's almost scary good. Totally killer Bordeaux!
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2/8/2006 - Patrick wrote: 91 Points
Mark Anthony Top Shelf Tasting (Mark Anthony Wine Vancouver): Brief impressions: young looking; nose of tobacco, stems, root beer; good
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1/30/2006 - SeaBud wrote: 94 Points
Opened and tasted a little right then - at that point an 88. Hot and unidimensional.
Came back 3 hours later and had with lamb chops. Little brett, but mostly fruit and earth on the nose. Dark fruit, graphite and metal.
A very nicely balanced wine w/ a 30+ second finish.
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1/14/2006 - MarkC wrote: 93 Points
Mmm, this was really good. Ruby color, with hints of blue/purple in the middle. Tea, some herbs, cedar, and some earthy, funky notes. On the palate this shows really good structure, however the fruit - currant, sour berries - is starting to take a backseat to saddle, earth, tobacco, and other secondary flavors. The best Bordeaux I've had in a while!
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1/14/2006 - peterjanderson wrote: 93 Points
Inky Purple out of the bottle. The nose opens with lead, tobacco and plum. The taste seemed initially somewhat blunted, probably owing to the fact that I had just finished a 1997 BV tapestry. Tried another glass 3 hours later and the wine and my taste buds seemingly improved. Plum, Currant and spice seemed to predominate. The wine had a nice long finish, but still somewhat tannic. I wasn't as impressed as some of the other notes seemed to suggest. Certainly a good wine, but compared to the 1999 Pavie I had 3 weeks ago, I don't think it is in the same class.
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1/12/2006 - hcampana wrote: 89 Points
1996 Bordeaux Horizontal in Gusbo's honor (Pichon Lalande, Lynch Bages, Pichon Baron, Calon Segur, Sociando Mallet, Carruades de Lafite, Pavillon Rouge, 1990 Suduiraut & 1972 Don PX Toro Albala) (Monterrey, Mexico): Dark ruby. Nose of black currants and smoky minerals. Full to medium bodied, with acidity between wines 1 & 2. This wine has a good core of fruit, but it is not letting itself be appreciated. Very closed tonight. My guess was Calon Segur. I was wrong. My third favorite of the flight. (Zero 1st place votes, Five 2nd place votes, Two 3rd place votes).
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12/20/2005 - wcork wrote: 94 Points
Massive!!!!concentrated,aromatic nose of cassis, oak and toast. long finish- great Wine..
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12/2/2005 - jwwinec wrote: 94 Points
Shows a beautiful perfume on the nose. Excellent depth, with lots of cassis, cocoa, and well-intergrated oak. The fruit is especially appealing in this wine - it is intense, pure, youthful and rich. Very good structure and minerality frame the fruit and lead into a long finish. Decanted for 3 hours, drunk over the next 3.
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10/31/2005 - Saint Stephen wrote: 94 Points
Probably had consumed too much wine at the Bottle of Angst dinner to fairly evaluate this wine - but my impression was a very good one.
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10/29/2005 - ERoss wrote: 92 Points
Bottle of Angst, Volume I (Older Bordeaux and More) (Chateau Guerette): Needs time.
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9/20/2005 - JJA wrote: 96 Points
An unbelievably delicious Bordeaux. Must buy some.
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9/5/2005 - espia wrote:
Quite similar to the Montrose, but more subdued, closed?
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6/8/2005 - Docorp wrote:
Dark fruit, fine tannins, earthy, mineral.
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5/24/2005 - Vino Me wrote: 93 Points
This wine was poured at the Wine Spectator Grand Tour in Las Vegas earlier this month. I thought it was Pauillac in style despite coming from St. Estephe. This wine is starting to open up but is stil quite young. Red fruit with mineral and spice garden notes. Very fine. 93+ points.
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4/2/2005 - JD80 wrote:
Decanted for about an hr. Strong tobacco on the nose. Still very young but good. Drank during the Final 4 with Josh, Ernie and Raj.
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3/22/2005 - hcampana wrote: 89 Points
The 3 Tenors of Saint Estephe (Calon, Cos & Montrose): 1982, 1990, 1995, 1996 & 2000 (New York City, NY): Wine No. 3 (1996 Cos d’Estournel)
This was the darkest wine in the flight and the only one that still showed some purple. The nose was almost inexistent showing smokiness. Full bodied and very closed. I guessed Montrose and missed. 89+ points . I did not write down the group voting in this flight.
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10/19/2004 - MRichman wrote:
David Wainwright's Cos Vertical, 1985 Horizontal (Le Cirque): Olive. Juicy tannins. Rich but young. Great core. Smooth
B+
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6/12/2004 - Jeff Leve wrote: 91 Points
Dark with a purple hue. Tobacco, cigar ash, herbs, cassis, fruit and minerals took over your nasal senses while the palate enjoyed the deep, ripe black fruit. This, dense, full-bodied wine was very tannic. Needs time.
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4/16/2004 - Julex wrote:
Very enjoyable after 5 hours decanting Spring 2004. Would hold at least another year if not 2 before trying another
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4/3/2004 - Zweder wrote: 92 Points
An easy afternoon with close friends (@ PdV): Ruby. Deep bouquet with black currants and well integrated wood. Very soft and juicy taste of all black forest fruits. Long aftertaste in which you can find blackberry marmalade and a little pepper/spicy. For me the red WOTN. Though I must say that the wine is surprisingly mature.
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4/21/2003 - JustOneMore wrote: 95 Points
Perfect yet young. Huge tannins with tobacco and smoke.
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12/29/2001 - cos65 wrote:
deep black ruby, wonderful exotic flavors, soy, chocolate, black fruit
*****
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10/20/2000 - Bandreas wrote:
Tasted at the California Wine Experience, NY "Top Ten Tasting"
Deep and dark color, at first a medicinal and bitter nose, then comes some cabernet fruit. Somewhere there are green apples lurking in the background.
On palate lots of tannin and not much fruit
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10/17/1999 - mdefreitas wrote: 94 Points
CT Group does 1996 Bordeaux @ Jeff S: Tons of sweet fruit, with nice earth. Beautiful concentration. Brawny wine, yet very well balanced. Powerful. Needs time to smooth out the structure.
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