Chateau Cos d'Estournel 2012
The Wine
The 2012 Cos d’Estournel is a classic expression of St.-Estèphe, with notes of graphite, crushed rock, blackberry, blackcurrant fruit, a medium to full-bodied mouth-feel, structured, but well-integrated tannins and a long finish of 35 seconds or more. This is a beauty and an undeniable top success in the Médoc for 2012. Give it 4-6 years of cellaring and drink it over the following two decades or more. The final blend, which achieved 13.8% alcohol, is 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Merlot and the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot.
17.5 Pts Jancis Robinson 'Very dark and purple. Very interesting, almost putty nose. Intriguing and not so flamboyant and flashy as in some years. Really rather like Lafite 2012 on the nose! Perhaps a little tiny bit bitter on the finish but no excess of sweetness nor alcohol. Very measured. Solid impact. Very dry finish. I absolutely love the nose but find it a bit austere on the finish - but at least it is classic St-Estèphe. Slightly hard work at this stage; the most youthful wine I have tasted so far. '100% gravity-fed cellar helped us to be restrained in extraction', explained the new director Aymeric de Gironde.
95 Pts. Jane Anson, Inside Bordeaux 'Plenty of exotic spices, saffran, clove, black pepper, turmeric, cassis, with sandalwood, gunsmoke and cedar smoke. Both character and bite, with plenty of impact. 50% of overall production, this is a successful Cos d'Estournel with plenty to recommend, capturing the gourmet sweetness of the vintage. 70% new oak.
The Details
Variety - Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot
Country - France
Region - Bordeaux
Sub Region - St Estephe
Extra - Cork
Year - 2012
Volume - 750ml
About the Wine Maker 
Château Cos d'Estournel was built at the beginning of the 19th century by Louis Gaspard d'Estournel. Nicknamed the Maharajah of Saint Estèphe on account of his passion for travel to the Indies, he built exotic pagodas above the winery, in memory of the distant lands he had visited. The property's wine quickly gained a reputation as one of Bordeaux's finest and began to be exported all over the world; in the 1855 classification it was ranked as a second growth.
Although the estate has changed hands a number of times since its creation it's fame has always been respected far and wide. Planted to mostly Cabernet Sauvignon (60%) and Merlot 30% with a little Franc and Petit Verdot the estate has long been known for rich and bold fruit with slate and graphite representative of the terroir.
