PAGODES DE COS Rouge 2nd wine of Ch. Cos d'Estournel, Saint-Estephe 2018 Bottle

Description

Pagodes de Cos Rouge 2018 is an impressive second wine showcasing 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 29% Merlot, 4% Petit Verdot that captures much of Cos d'Estournel's muscular personality while offering earlier approachability and great value. The colour is deep ruby with a youthful purple rim. The nose opens with ripe blackcurrant, bramble and damson, then broadens with aeration to reveal pencil shavings, cedar and a cool graphite mineral note. Violet and subtle floral perfume lift the top notes while a savoury undercurrent of olive tapenade and smoked meat adds complexity.

On the palate the wine is medium plus to full in weight with a generous yet refined mid palate and finely grained tannins that provide a firm backbone without austerity. Primary dark fruit of cassis, black cherry and plum sits at the heart, edged by a bright seam of redcurrant acidity that keeps the profile lively. Mid palate development brings savoury layers of cured meat, soy like reduction and dried herb, while discreet oak seasoning contributes clove, toasted spice and a gentle vanilla warmth that frames the fruit rather than overpowering it. A saline mineral thread and a faint iron note reinforce the Saint Estephe signature and lengthen the finish.

The 2018 vintage combined warm ripening with cooler spells at key moments, producing wines with ripe concentrated fruit, polished tannins and clear acidity. At Pagodes de Cos this translates into a wine that is generous and expressive yet structurally composed and built to age further.

Approachable now with a short decant, the 2018 will reward medium-term cellaring as tertiary notes of leather, cedar and forest floor integrate more fully. Drink 2026 to 2040, peaking 2028 to 2036. Serve slightly below room temperature with roast lamb, chargrilled ribeye, beef daube, venison with juniper, mushroom and truffle dishes, or a selection of mature hard cheeses to complement the wine’s savoury depth, ripe dark fruit and refined tannic frame.

JAMES SUCKLING 95 points
Pure aromas of currants, plums, cherries and Spanish cedar follow through to a full body with super concentration of fruit, yet forever polished and long. A cylinder of wonderfully ripe fruit and tannins goes on for minutes. This needs at least three or four years to soften and begin to come together. Super second wine. Try after 2027.

WINE ENTHUSIAST 94 points
This latest release has richness and luscious black fruits that dominate the underlying firmer tannic structure. It is a proper second wine in the sense that it will age well over the medium term, giving drinking pleasure from 2024. — Roger Voss

-----

ABOUT CHATEAU COS D'ESTOURNEL
Château Cos d Estournel is an iconic Saint Estèphe estate famed for producing powerful, exotic and impeccably constructed wines that marry left bank structure with a distinctive spicy, almost global aromatic signature. The property occupies gravelly terraces facing the Gironde estuary, where deep well drained soils and a cool maritime influence favour slow phenolic ripening and concentrated tannic architecture. Cos d Estournel is celebrated for wines that combine black fruit intensity, spice, incense and a mineral core with impressive ageing potential.

Since 2009 the estate has been owned by Michel Reybier, whose investment has underwritten significant vineyard renewal, cellar modernisation and a sustained emphasis on quality. Under Reybier stewardship the property has pursued precise parcel management and improved technical control in the cellar while retaining the house signature of richness married to tension. Family and senior management remain closely involved in strategic direction and long term planning.

Vineyards are worked with meticulous attention to soil variation and exposure. Plantings are dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot with smaller amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot that add aromatic lift and structural nuance. Vineyard practice stresses yield restraint, careful canopy management and selective hand harvesting to ensure grapes reach optimum physiological ripeness. Increasing emphasis on soil health and sustainable measures supports vine vigour and long term terroir expression.

Winemaking is parcel by parcel with rigorous sorting, small lot vinifications and temperature control. The cellar team focuses on calibrated extraction to build tannic backbone without sacrificing aromatic clarity. Elevage takes place in French oak, selected by cuvee to integrate tannin and to add complexity while preserving fruit purity. Extensive blending trials and cellar tasting guide final assemblages to achieve balance between power and finesse.

Stylistically Cos d Estournel is often described as opulent and boldly scented yet precise, showing cassis, cassis leaf, cedar, exotic spice, licorice and a saline mineral thread. The wines reward patient cellaring and are prized by collectors for their layered complexity and distinctive personality within Médoc grand vin.