Composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, yields for the grand vin in 2017 were 43 hectoliters per hectare, and it was aged in 60% new oak. It came in at an alcohol of 13% and an IPT of 68. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cos d'Estournel needs a little coaxing to unfurl, revealing beautiful expressions of preserved plums, boysenberries, blackcurrant pastilles and wild blueberries with hints of Indian spices, menthol, lilacs and mossy tree bark plus a compelling suggestion of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and well-knit freshness supporting the tightly wound blue and black fruits layers, finishing long and fragrant. This wine will need a good 5-7 years in bottle before it begins to blossom and should go on for at least another 40 years. I expect this wine to be a blockbuster of a head-turner when I come back and taste it at 10 years of age!
Quite the bottle here! Spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon, as well as dried meat and plums with cedar and sandalwood. Full body. Deep and dense in the center palate and a long, long finish. Shows finesse and tightness. Very polished tannins. Long and ethereal. Try after 2023.
TWI
97pts
The Wine Independent
The 2017 Cos d’Estournel has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It needs a little coaxing to reveal classic notes of cassis, ripe juicy plums, and cedar chest, followed by hints of tar, graphite, and bay leaves, with a waft of truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate is tightly wound with energetic black fruits and mineral layers, supported by grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with great length.
The Indian-inspired 19th century architecture at Château Cos d’Estournel (and its 100-year-old vines) sits in stark contrast to the modern winery, with its 100% gravity-fed cellar and shiny isothermal vats. The 2017 is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, aged in 60% new oak. Georgie Hindle: Beautifully floral notes on the nose. Just so appealing and inviting. Rich and quite sensuous on the palate – texture of crushed velvet, mineral, with fleshy weight. Mouthfilling, on the richer, plusher side, lots going on. Vincenzo Arnese: A rich, developed nose, showing ripe blackcurrant, raisins and sultanas, with a hint of black tea. Rich and poised. Tannins are powerful and will integrate better with time, but the potential is astonishing. Andy Howard MW: Deep, impenetrable colour. Soft, voluptuous palate with ripe, dark fruits, an exotic edge, fine tannins and fresh acidity to finish. Has concentration and weight for further development.
A bold, dramatic wine, the 2017 Cos d'Estournel is seriously impressive today. Time in barrel has done wonders for the 2017, a wine that has really gained depth in élevage. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, new leather, licorice, smoke and incense infuse the 2017 with tons of character, with the 60% new oak very well judged. In 2017, Cos has a level of textural resonance that eludes many Saint-Estèphes. The blend is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.
This impressive wine is structured yet well balanced by an attractive fruitiness that parallels the tannins and the smokiness from wood aging. The density of the palate is countered by fresh acidity that shines through. Drink 2024. (Cellar Selection)
Bright and expressive, with an extroverted core of loganberry, plum and black cherry fruit racing to the fore, carried by a polished and sleek structure. Reveals a subtle mineral edge through the finish, with alluring black and red tea notes swirling around. The rare seductive St.-Estèphe. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2036. 15,000 cases made.
The grand vin 2017 Chateau Cos D'Estournel checks in as 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, and 1% each of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot brought up in 60% new French oak. It's a classic 2017 that shows the straight, very classic style of the vintage with its medium to full body, ripe, present tannins, and solid spine of acidity. Beautiful cassis, green tobacco, graphite, and cedar pencil notes all emerge from the glass, and as with the Pagodes, it's still tight and reserved on the palate. Reminding me of the 1996 with its classic, balanced style, give bottles 5-7 years and enjoy over the following two decades.