1982 Château Cos d'Estournel St. Estèphe Bordeaux France Wine Tasting Note

83718 Views

1982
96
A superb, fully-mature example of a fabulous Left Bank Bordeaux. Loads of red currants, Indian spice, cigar box, and cedar with leafy herbs are all over the place on the nose and on the generous, refined palate. No need to decant, just pop, pour and enjoy. Drink from 2022-2030.

A superb, fully-mature example of a fabulous Left Bank Bordeaux. Loads of red currants, Indian spice, cigar box, and cedar with leafy herbs are all over the place on the nose and on the generous, refined palate. No need to decant, just pop, pour and enjoy. Drink from 2022-2030.

3,301 Views   Tasted
The nose, with its blend of tobacco, mint, flowers, spice box, cherries and herbs hit all the right notes. Popped and poured, within 30 minutes, the wine, filled out, softened and moved from very good to suave, refined and elegant, retaining its full-bodied richness. Perhaps it was cork or just luck of the draw, but this bottle was markedly better than previous bottles.

The nose, with its blend of tobacco, mint, flowers, spice box, cherries and herbs hit all the right notes. Popped and poured, within 30 minutes, the wine, filled out, softened and moved from very good to suave, refined and elegant, retaining its full-bodied richness. Perhaps it was cork or just luck of the draw, but this bottle was markedly better than previous bottles.

5,226 Views   Tasted
Just a super bottle of this wine. It was so good, I am tempted to give it another point for all its gorgeous floral notes that compliment the spicy, sweet, deep red fruits, wet earth and forest aromatics. Soft on the palate, the wine is concentrated, with lift and sweetness in the finish. Fully mature, there is no hurry to drink it, if the wine has been well-stored.

Just a super bottle of this wine. It was so good, I am tempted to give it another point for all its gorgeous floral notes that compliment the spicy, sweet, deep red fruits, wet earth and forest aromatics. Soft on the palate, the wine is concentrated, with lift and sweetness in the finish. Fully mature, there is no hurry to drink it, if the wine has been well-stored.

4,550 Views   Tasted
This bottle was about as good as it's going get, and it rocked! Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and deep, on the nose, you find wet earth, Asian spice, tobacco and bright red fruits. The finish, which maintains a backbone is loaded with ripe, earthy, tobacco-laden cherries and spice. Popped and poured, a short, splash decant is all that's needed here.

This bottle was about as good as it's going get, and it rocked! Full-bodied, rich, concentrated and deep, on the nose, you find wet earth, Asian spice, tobacco and bright red fruits. The finish, which maintains a backbone is loaded with ripe, earthy, tobacco-laden cherries and spice. Popped and poured, a short, splash decant is all that's needed here.

4,574 Views   Tasted
This is showing great. The nose, with its spicy cassis, blackberry, wet earth, tobacco and forest notes can win anyone over. On the palate, the wine is even better! Full bodied, round, fresh and bold, you find a big, juicy mouthful of ripe, sweet and spicy cassis. 20 minutes in the decanter was all this needed to wake up. The wine is mature, but if your bottle has been perfectly stored in a cold cellar, or if it's in a large format, it could improve. That being said, if you have a few bottles in your cellar and haven't popped a cork in a while, what are you waiting for?

This is showing great. The nose, with its spicy cassis, blackberry, wet earth, tobacco and forest notes can win anyone over. On the palate, the wine is even better! Full bodied, round, fresh and bold, you find a big, juicy mouthful of ripe, sweet and spicy cassis. 20 minutes in the decanter was all this needed to wake up. The wine is mature, but if your bottle has been perfectly stored in a cold cellar, or if it's in a large format, it could improve. That being said, if you have a few bottles in your cellar and haven't popped a cork in a while, what are you waiting for?

3,787 Views   Tasted
Robust, and full bodied, with cigar box, tobacco leaf, red fruits and Asian spice on the nose. ,The wine is concentrated, long, bright and with firm tannins. Popped and poured, this is still young, but it is drinking great today. So, if you have more than a few bottles pop a cork!

Robust, and full bodied, with cigar box, tobacco leaf, red fruits and Asian spice on the nose. ,The wine is concentrated, long, bright and with firm tannins. Popped and poured, this is still young, but it is drinking great today. So, if you have more than a few bottles pop a cork!

4,575 Views   Tasted
Loved it. Spicy, fresh, concentrated and displaying its tobacco, cedar wood, exotic spice, smoke, cassis, blackberry and wet earth character with little effort. Long in the mouth and the finish, this is really showing its all today. This is perhaps one of the best examples of the wine I recall tasting.

Loved it. Spicy, fresh, concentrated and displaying its tobacco, cedar wood, exotic spice, smoke, cassis, blackberry and wet earth character with little effort. Long in the mouth and the finish, this is really showing its all today. This is perhaps one of the best examples of the wine I recall tasting.

5,630 Views   Tasted
With little effort, the tobacco, cassis, cedar wood, smoke, licorice and barbecue aromas are in the forefront of the wine. The perfume couples well with the full bodied, concentrated, masculine, slightly firm, classically styled character. The finish ends with a long, fresh, cassis spice and slightly herbal sensation.

With little effort, the tobacco, cassis, cedar wood, smoke, licorice and barbecue aromas are in the forefront of the wine. The perfume couples well with the full bodied, concentrated, masculine, slightly firm, classically styled character. The finish ends with a long, fresh, cassis spice and slightly herbal sensation.

5,207 Views   Tasted
What a super wine! With its tobacco, cassis, wet earth, blackberry and cigar box nose to start, the wine got even better when it slides down your palate, finishing with earthy, fresh, spicy berries. At close to 33 years of age, this is the best place to find this. While there is no hurry to drink a well stored bottle, if you have one, and you are in the mood to pop a cork, there is no reason to wait.

What a super wine! With its tobacco, cassis, wet earth, blackberry and cigar box nose to start, the wine got even better when it slides down your palate, finishing with earthy, fresh, spicy berries. At close to 33 years of age, this is the best place to find this. While there is no hurry to drink a well stored bottle, if you have one, and you are in the mood to pop a cork, there is no reason to wait.

5,866 Views   Tasted
Served double blind, I jumped on 1982 Left Bank Bordeaux. However, the seductive quality of this specific bottle did not allow me to consider Cos d’Estournel. Silky, rich, smoky, tobacco, black currant, earth and cedar wood and a long, complex, elegant style won me over. At 30, this is drinking great today.

Served double blind, I jumped on 1982 Left Bank Bordeaux. However, the seductive quality of this specific bottle did not allow me to consider Cos d’Estournel. Silky, rich, smoky, tobacco, black currant, earth and cedar wood and a long, complex, elegant style won me over. At 30, this is drinking great today.

9,777 Views   Tasted
Its blackberry filled, tobacco, earth, mushroom and Asian spice aromatics make a complex perfume. Built in an old school style, with good concentration, but with a hint of green in the finish was a pleasure to taste. This is fully mature and while there is no hurry to drink it, there is probably nothing much to be gained by waiting either.

Its blackberry filled, tobacco, earth, mushroom and Asian spice aromatics make a complex perfume. Built in an old school style, with good concentration, but with a hint of green in the finish was a pleasure to taste. This is fully mature and while there is no hurry to drink it, there is probably nothing much to be gained by waiting either.

8,383 Views   Tasted
This wine is thick, rich and gets more interesting with each sip. Concentrated and deep with buckets of cassis, spice, blackberry and earth in the nose, this sublime finishes with a blast of spicy, black fruit.

This wine is thick, rich and gets more interesting with each sip. Concentrated and deep with buckets of cassis, spice, blackberry and earth in the nose, this sublime finishes with a blast of spicy, black fruit.

5,808 Views   Tasted
Cassis, lead pencil, coffee, spice and cedar wood scents. This is dense, full bodied and concentrated. The palate is filled with ripe, black fruits offering a long, deep finish.

Cassis, lead pencil, coffee, spice and cedar wood scents. This is dense, full bodied and concentrated. The palate is filled with ripe, black fruits offering a long, deep finish.

5,669 Views   Tasted
Ruby colored with slight bricking. Elements of cassis and dark fruits, spice, oak, hay, tobacco, and smoke were intoxicating. This full-bodied wine is dense as well as very balanced and complex. Very concentrated. The only minor drawback was a slight bitter note in the long, intense finish, which lasted close to 60 seconds!

Ruby colored with slight bricking. Elements of cassis and dark fruits, spice, oak, hay, tobacco, and smoke were intoxicating. This full-bodied wine is dense as well as very balanced and complex. Very concentrated. The only minor drawback was a slight bitter note in the long, intense finish, which lasted close to 60 seconds!

5,631 Views   Tasted
This was so youthful, I thought it was a 90. The color is a dark purple with only a hint of lightening at the rim. The perfume gives cassis, lead pencil, coffee and cedar wood scents. This is a very dense, full bodied and extremely concentrated wine. The palate is filled with ripe black fruits and a long finish.

This was so youthful, I thought it was a 90. The color is a dark purple with only a hint of lightening at the rim. The perfume gives cassis, lead pencil, coffee and cedar wood scents. This is a very dense, full bodied and extremely concentrated wine. The palate is filled with ripe black fruits and a long finish.

5,734 Views   Tasted

When to Drink Chateau Cos d'Estournel, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

Chateau Cos d'Estournel can be enjoyed early, with a long decanting, but it is not when the wine shows its best. The wine is much better with several years of bottle age. Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage. Most vintages demand at least 12 to 20 years before the wine starts showing its best attributes.

Chateau Cos d'Estournel offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 15-40 years of life. Young vintages can be decanted for 2-4 hours or more. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Serving Chateau Cos d'Estournel with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

Chateau Cos d'Estournel is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. Young vintages can be decanted for 2-4 hours. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment.

Chateau Cos d'Estournel is perfect for pairing with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted braised, and grilled dishes. Cos d'Estournel is also good with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta.

Cos d'Estournel Blanc and other wines of the estate

Chateau Cos d'Estournel also makes a dry, white Bordeaux wine, Cos d'Estournel Blanc from a 10 hectare parcel of vines. The wine is produced from a blend of of approximately 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon, although that can vary depending on the vintage. The white wine grapes are grown north of Saint Estephe, in the Jau-Dignac and Loirac regions.

In 2018, to improve the quality of their white wine, the estate introduced a second white wine, Pagodes de Cos Blanc. Most of the vines used to produce Pagodes de Cos Blanc were previously used in Goulee Blanc, which is no longer in production.

For the white wine of Cos d'Estournel, the terroir is a mix of sand, clay, small stones and limestone soils. The vineyard is close to their Goulee property, which is in the Medoc, directly north of Saint Estephe which is a naturally cooler terroir.

The debut vintage for Chateau Cos d'Estournel Blanc was 2005. For the first few vintages, the production was close to 100 cases.

Because the initial production was so small, the wine was not available for sale as a future until 2009. At that point, the production rose to close to 200 cases, which was considered enough for their white Bordeaux wine to be offered as a future.

To produce Cos d'Estournel Blanc, the wine is barrel fermented and aged in a combination of new and one-year-old, French oak barrels to maintain maximum freshness. There is no malolactic fermentation or skin contact. The wine is best enjoyed in its youth. The wine is sold as a generic AOC Bordeaux Blanc.

Cos d'Estournel Blanc is best served with all types of seafood and various cheeses.

Chateau Cos d'Estournel makes a second wine, Les Pagodes de Cos, which was first produced with the 1994 vintage. Originally, the second wine was called Marbuzet. The majority of the fruit came from their vineyard called Marbuzet, hence the name. The name was changed after both properties were purchased by Michel Reybier.

Today, the grapes used in the second wine, Les Pagodes de Cos can from time to time, include fruit from Marbuzet, their other estate in St. Estephe, as well as grapes from young vines and declassified wine intended for Cos d'Estournel.

Since 2005, Les Pagodes de Cos has morphed into one of the better second wines in all of Bordeaux. On average, Les Pagodes de Cos is aged in 40% new, French oak barrels.

In 2003, the Reybier group produced their debut vintage of Goulee by Cos d'Estournel from a vineyard they own in the Medoc, which is situated north of St. Estephe. In 2009 Michel Reybier and Chateau Cos d'Estournel purchased vineyards in Tokaji with they obtained the Hetszolo estate.

Michel Reybier is also an investor in Champagne, with a company he owns, The Pressoirs de France group. The company is a large supplier of bulk and inexpensive Champagne to big supermarkets in England. The wine is sold as Michel Reybier Champagne. In 2020, Michel Reybier purchased a large vineyard in Provence, Chateau La Mascaronne.

More than just interests in vineyards takes place in Bordeaux for the owner of Cos d'Estournel. In 2019, they opened a high-end hotel in Saint Estephe, La Maison d'Estournel on the site of the previously named Chateau Pomys. The hotel has 14 well-appointed guest rooms and suites, a restaurant, and a wine-tasting bar. In addition, Reybier also owns the luxury chain of hotels, La Reserve.

Starting with the 2012 vintage, Cos d'Estournel began to use the Tesa system of anti-counterfeiting measures as well, allowing consumers to verify the authenticity of their bottle with the use of a bar code sticker that is placed on the label and the original wood case.

www.estournel.com