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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 92.1 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 296 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by BernieMSY on 4/9/2024 & rated 92 points: We were reluctant to decant such an old wine, but it apparently needed it. No discernable fruit initially, with lots of mushroomy savory notes. (531 views) | | | Tasted by BrendanMcS on 4/8/2024 & rated 94 points: Needed 20 minutes or so to open up, but very good. Nuanced and balanced; not a ton of power or fruit. More secondary flavors, but well done. Starting to show its age a bit, but still a fine showing. Popped and poured (418 views) | | | Tasted by dera on 4/3/2024 & rated 93 points: From a very good looking bottle, cork intact, removed with a Durand, soaked maybe 75% through, no signs of seepage, high neck fill.
Dark ruby/garnet with just a touch of aged browning on the rim. Based on color, this could be a 1998, or a 2008. Does not show its age at all on the color.
Neither does it show it on the nose. Nose is developed but still very much on the fresh red fruited side. Red fruits, cranberries, little bit of rustic brettiness, burnt tobacco, cedar, vanilla, touch of menthol, licorice.
Palate is medium bodied, red fruited, chocolate and some earthiness, not overly complex, but still very enjoyable.
Finishes medium+ with smooth resolved tannins.
This is likely right at peak, it probably won't improve but isn't going downhill either any time soon. (496 views) | | | Tasted by edjBoca on 3/15/2024 & rated 94 points: Evolves over 2 to 3 hours.....decanted for 75 minutes and was not open. An hours later...hints of the dark fruits and good integrated structure. After another hour....obvious improvemnt in complexity and finish....Wow. Good for another 5-10 years... (585 views) | | | Tasted by HalaniMD on 1/17/2024 & rated 95 points: The color is a beautiful dark red with some rim variation—way brighter and fresher than expected for an ‘88. The nose shows tobacco leaves, leather, and cigar box. Not much dark red fruit but I could imagine some. The palate is fresh but no obvious fruits. Well integrated tannins, and a finish forever. 95 points (1118 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 12/12/2023 & rated 93 points: Earth and tobacco; berry; composed; balanced; elegant finish. (1248 views) | | | Tasted by CarpeDiem! on 12/3/2023 & rated 92 points: I did not dare to decant a 35 year old chap. I should have! The wine took almost 2 hours to wake up and reveal noble cask, leather, tobacco, roast, ink and dark chocolate aromas. Add pencil shaving, herbal and earthy notes kicking into a long, fresh finish and you are left with a puzzle: is it too still too early to open? Will I (n)ever understand this wine? But overall an enjoyable classic Bdx. (890 views) | | | Tasted by forceberry on 9/10/2023 & rated 93 points: A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (70%) and Merlot (30%). 13% alcohol.
Deep, dark and quite mature black cherry color with a somewhat evolved pomegranate hue. The developed nose feels a bit reticent but also nuanced and attractive with fine-tuned aromas of autumnal leaves and smoky chipotle character, some sweet notes of wizened blackcurrants and ripe cherries, a little bit of ferrous blood, light woody notes of cedary oak, a hint of pipe tobacco, a touch of prunes and a whiff of exotic spices. The wine feels ripe, silky and open-textured on the palate with a medium-to-moderately full body and layered flavors of tobacco and meaty umami, some sweet-fruited notes of wizened blackcurrants and dark plums, a little bit of roasted bell pepper, a woody hint of pencil shavings and a touch of earth. The overall feel is pretty mellow and supple, thanks to the medium-to-moderately high acidity and resolved, powdery and quite gentle tannins. The finish is long, silky and gently grippy with a dry aftertaste of tobacco and wizened blackcurrants, some red licorice, light autumnal notes of damp leaves and sous-bois, a little bit of sweet black cherry, a woody hint of pencil shavings and a touch of roasted bell pepper.
A delicious and harmonious vintage of Cos that is more or less fully resolved and at its peak now. A very fine wine by all accounts, although feels somewhat less impressive after two exceptional vintages, 1985 and 1986, coming across as slightly softer and a bit less complex and not matching their flavor intensity. Most likely this wine won't improve with additional aging, but I don't see it falling apart anytime soon - drink or keep. Highly recommended. (695 views) | | | Tasted by ONEFIVE on 7/30/2023: PnP
Lovely nose of dried red fruit, pencil shavings, cigar box, and spice.
The mouthfeel is perfectly balanced with medium body, medium acid, and moderately grippy tannin.
This is fantastic at the moment. Drinks like something 10-15 years younger. Wow. Try again in a few years and enjoy over the next 10-15+ (1940 views) | | | Tasted by oenanthe on 3/20/2023 & rated 92 points: Monday Night Bordeaux (Hawksmoor, Guildhall): Wonderful, all olive tapenade, green peppers and sweet red and black fruit, soft and delicious. Great wine that has aged perfectly, fully into the final stages and in a great spot. Despite the age difference I found it surprisingly difficult to separate from the 2001, maybe it was the stage of the evening where I mixed my glasses up.... (2479 views) | | | Tasted by NickA on 3/20/2023 & rated 92 points: Monday night Bordeaux (Hawksmoor Guildhall): This bottle had held up well and was much more to my taste than the '01. Cool and refreshing, with floral and leathery notes on the nose, and beautifully medium-bodied, with a strong flavour of black cherry and nicely resolved tannins. A classy bottle of wine that I could happily have enjoyed over an evening. (2341 views) | | | Tasted by Joshvoulters on 3/20/2023 & rated 92 points: Bordeaux at Hawksmoor: Smoky savoury cured meats, antique wood and boot polish. Resolved on the palate, smooth and balanced. Savoury with tannins and acid giving this life: long finish (2229 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 2/21/2023 & rated 95 points: Earth with blackberry; a bit tight; tannic support; long finish. (2149 views) | | | Tasted by paulst on 1/13/2023 & rated 94 points: Light cedar; some earth; lean berry and semi-tart; velvet; layered and smooth with lean tannin; elegant finish. (1827 views) | | | Tasted by GrapeScott on 12/31/2022 & rated 93 points: Consumed over 2 evenings, and showing best on day 2. I love this particular vintage of Cos, and am a huge fan of '88 in general. This is a wine I've had more than half a dozen times, and . Cassis, cedar and shoe leather on the nose; rustic yet refined, with fine-grained tannins. (1270 views) | | | Tasted by godx on 12/6/2022 & rated 90 points: I'm generally not a big fan of Cos, but these ones from the 80s are generally more to my preference. Earthy nose with dark fruits, hints of bell pepper and a touch of smokey (oak?). Drinking much better than the last time I tried this (9 years ago) but I don't see any upside here in terms of improvement, but it certainly won't fall apart anytime soon. (1467 views) | | | Tasted by mariow on 6/18/2022 & rated 92 points: perfect bottle, into neck, cork came out very easily; intense red; sour cherries and barnyard in the nose; fruity and young on the palate with good structure; my last bottle, opened two hours before consumption, no decant (2416 views) | | | Tasted by BernieMSY on 11/24/2021 & rated 94 points: Popped and poured.
Brick-edged; earth nose.
Some fruit still remains. Dark black fruit, currant dominates. Wonderful savory tones. Surprisingly, some tannic structure remains. (3337 views) | | | Tasted by iainlo@gmail.com on 7/29/2021 & rated 91 points: Amber rim with dark red core. Looks mature. Very expressive on the nose and explodes on the palate with ripe red fruits. Nice persistance. Clearly at the tail end of its drinking window but what a wine! (3746 views) | | | Tasted by Sean Tay on 5/11/2021 & rated 98 points: Pronounced nose with notes of mushroom, truffle, cooked red and black fruits, spices and toast. Medium acidity and tannin. Drinking beautifully. (3945 views) | | | Tasted by Sean Tay on 4/1/2021 & rated 91 points: Pronounced nose with notes of smoke, oaky, spices. Medium acidity and tannin. Drank it from left over previous day and kept cool in refrigerator. (3762 views) | | | Tasted by GrapeScott on 3/12/2021 & rated 93 points: This traveled by air in my Vingarde Valise to St. John, so it's still a bit murky from suspended sediment. Cork was pristine when extracted with an Ah-so, and the fill was base neck. Dark opaque purple color, very youthful with no signs of bricking. Rustic, cedar-laced savory nose, with tobacco leaf, sandalwood and a touch of capsicum. On the palate, cedar dominates, with black currant, plum, and some spicy and herbal notes, with a nice dose of acidity. A wonderful, old-school vintage of Cos. (3367 views) | | | Tasted by glou.sf on 1/5/2021 & rated 94 points: Tasted blind. Beautiful, classic Bordeaux nose of leather, red fruit, and underwood. Great acidity with resolved tannins, more of the red fruited flavors and forest floor notes on the palate. Quite long on the finish. Drinking really well right now. (3076 views) | | | Tasted by pigdaddy on 1/1/2021 & rated 92 points: magnum. ullage lower neck; double-decanted to travel, then uncorked about 1.5 hours.
deep red, dusty powdered red clay edge; fine grown-up nose, cedar, turned mulch, mulled & red berried; manly palate weight; delightfully old-school claret, where fruit provides the substructure, again cedar, underbrush, tobacco & green leaf; powdered tannins mature & functional.
NY Eve fifth course, so note from memory. this evolved considerably in the glass, suggesting a significant decant in the near future. second of four, purchased on release for second child's birth year, to his appreciation.
short ribs, butternut polenta (2361 views) | | | Tasted by Derek Darth Taster on 12/31/2020 & rated 93 points: NYE lunch at Bishan. Tasted completely blind. Drank in Grassl 1855.
Appearance is clear, medium intensity, ruby colour. Legs.
Nose is clean, medium+ intensity, with aromas of bell peppers, blackcurrant, blackberries, graphite, tobacco leaf. Developed.
On the palate, dry, high acidity, medium alcohol (13%), integrated medium+ tannins, medium+ body. Medium+ flavour intensity, with flavours of bell peppers, blackcurrant, tobacco leaf, graphite pencil lead, black cherries, blackberries. Long finish.
Very good quality. Classic. I was guessing 10-15 years younger than its actual age!! +1 just for its sheer longevity. (2371 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Neal Martin
Vinous, A Century of Bordeaux: The Eights (May 2018) (5/18/2018)
(Cos D'estournel Cos D'estournel Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (8/20/2013)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/30/2011)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (6/28/2002)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (11/4/2012)
(Château Cos d'Estournel) Lightly bricking very dark red violet color; intense, tobacco, cigar box, black olive, olive tapenade nose; mature, olive tapenade, black tobacco, tart black fruit palate; long finish 93+ points 93 points |  By Gary Vaynerchuk
Wine Library TV, A Vintage Bordeaux Tasting, 3 Heavyweights from 1988, Episode #504 (7/18/2008)
(Chateau Cos d'Estournel) #3; COLOR-dark; NOSE-green, herbaceous components; distinct black tea component; sour cherry; little rusted nail; TASTE-a little hot; the tannins are a little bitter and the wine is a little dull on the mid-palate; a tomato component; little beef jerky; driven mainly by sour cherry; solid effort; has some class, but a little hot for me; RP-87; WS-95; GV-89+ 89+ points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (4/3/2008)
(Château Cos d'Estournel) Medium red violet color; big, porcini mushroom, lamb jus and iron nose; tasty, lamb jus, earthy, iron palate; medium finish 92+ pts. 92 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and RJonWine.com and Wine Library TV. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Cos d'Estournel Producer website – Read more about Chateau Cos d’Estournel1988 Château Cos d'EstournelFrom the Cos Website:
"A year which was marked by a great lack of water in summer and by harvesting carried out in perfect conditions.
1988 is a vintage typical of the Médoc. Built like a Romanesque cathedral with all that is necessary to seduce in conditions of austerity. A very generous, wild bouquet with hints of red fruits, roast, pear, bilberry, fur, liquorice. Full and concentrated in the mouth, it is stout and very munchy. An imposing finish. A wine which will benefit greatly as it ages."
70 % Cabernet Sauvignon
30 % Merlot
(what is munchy, not to mention bilberry and fur???)Red Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.St. Estèphe Read more about St. Estephe and its wines Whereas the first activity recorded in Saint-Estèphe goes back as far as the Middle Bronze Age, the first vines date from the Roman Occupation. But it was the Bordeaux merchants who by aging and selling Saint-Estèphe wines themselves were largely responsible for this appellation's fame. And in the nineteenth century, noted for its prosperity, the great estates of today were created. The movement continues today with the merging of small estates.
A land of great wines, Saint-Estèphe is situated almost in the centre of the Médoc, close to the Gironde Estuary. The appellation is equidistant from Bordeaux and the Pointe de Grave.
The beds of soil are characterized by their remarkable diversity, the result of their undulating relief and excellent drainage. Quartz and well-rounded pebbles mingled with light, sandy surface soil are found everywhere, giving the wines a distinctive finesse. And the subsoil is made up of the famous Saint-Estèphe limestone, which outcrops on the west of the commune.
Tasting
Thanks to ideal conditions of climate and geology, Saint-Estèphe wines are characterized by their sturdy qualities and robust constitution. Accordingly, they can be laid down for a very long time while yet preserving their youth and freshness. Distinguished by a subsoil which is more clayey than that in the other communal appellations which lie by the river, the wine here attains a distinctive individuality : a very rich tannic structure, a fine deep red colour and an exceptional backbone with aromas of great finesse.
Production conditions (Decree dated September 11, 1936):
In order to have the right to the Saint-Estèphe appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the communes of Saint-Estèphe, "excluding any parcels in that area which are situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions : grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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