CHATEAU COS D'ESTOURNEL 2eme Grand Cru Classe, Saint-Estephe 2008 Bottle

Description

The 2008 Château Cos d'Estournel has garnered exceptional acclaim, receiving 95 points from The Wine Advocate for its medium to deep garnet colour and explosive nose of baked cherries, preserved plums, and herbs, complemented by wood smoke and tobacco. Its elegant palate showcases ripe grainy tannins and refreshing minerality, finishing long and savory. Wine Enthusiast also scored it 95 points, highlighting its smoky richness and concentrated structure with dark spices and ripe black plums. James Suckling awarded it 94 points, noting its decadent nose with meat and spice, while Vinous, also rated at 94 points, described its brooding profile with black fruit and spice. Jancis Robinson gave it 18 points, commending its lusciousness and roundness, enhancing its overall appeal.

*****

THE WINE ADVOCATE 95 points
Drink Date: 2018 - 2035
The medium to deep garnet colored 2008 Cos d'Estournel is blended of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. Pow! The nose explodes with notes of baked cherries, preserved plums, fried herbs, beef drippings and warm cassis with wafts of wood smoke, salami and tobacco leaf. Medium-bodied, the palate is elegant and earthy/savory in character, sporting beautifully ripe, grainy tannins and bags of freshness, finishing on a lingering mineral note. - Lisa Perrotti-Brown

WINE ENTHUSIAST 95 points
This big, smoky wine has great richness and a big, concentrated structure. The feel is dark, solid, based on spice, new wood and ripe black plums touched with red berries, the tannins sheltering beneath. — Roger Voss

JAMES SUCKLING 94 points
A very decadent wine on the nose with so much meat, spice and ripe fruit character. Sea shell as well. Full body, tight and structured with silky tannins and a lots of intense fruit. Vibrant wine. Better in 2020 but already fascinating to drink.

VINOUS 94 points
The 2008 Cos d’Estournel had one of the most backward, reticent bouquets that I encountered during my tasting. This is so sultry and broody, begrudgingly offering some lovely brambly red fruit mixed with pencil box. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannin, plenty of black fruit laced with allspice, black pepper and sage, leading to a dense and concentrated finish that should see this age for 20 or 30 years. It does not really serve as a forerunner to the blockbuster 2009 because this is cut from a completely different cloth. (Tasted at BI Wine & Spirit’s annual 10-Year On tasting.) - Neal Martin

JANCIS ROBINSON 18 points
Very deep crimson. Very luscious and round. Strong blackcurrant element. Surprisingly gentle tannins, perhaps Jean-Guillaume’s swansong? Very well made but perhaps not necessarily a typical St-Estèphe. (JR)