2009 - Cos d'Estournel, Saint-Estephe

Deep garnet colored, the 2009 Cos d'Estournel features a myriad of wonderfully intense notes, including blackcurrant pastilles, redcurrant jelly, kirsch and blueberry compote with hints of rose hip tea, sautéed herbs, underbrush, pencil shavings and Indian spices. Full-bodied, rich and opulently fruited in the mouth, it has beautifully plush tannins and fantastic freshness, finishing very long and very spicy.

A wine that caused plenty of arguments among critics and wine lovers at the time, and 15 years on it remains full on and pumped up. Silky texture, smoked caramel, intense cracked pepper, cloves, incense, olive peel, blackberry and damson fruits, impactful but a little too much even now. The terroir character is just starting to assert itself, and this is a one point upscore since I tasted it at the ten years on point. 100% new oak.

The 2009 is a Saint-Estèphe lauded in some quarters upon release, anointed with perfect scores, albeit not from myself. From my introduction in barrel with then estate manager, Jean-Guillaume Prats, the 2009 felt over-endowed, a wine predesigned to flutter its lashes during en primeur, one that equated sheer power with quality. I last drank this vintage six years ago. It remains decadent and ostentatious on the nose, rich and almost over-generous with crème de cassis and iodine scents. It comes across more Napa than Bordeaux, and contentiously, perhaps that was the intention? Likewise, the palate is decked out with lush and slightly overripe black fruit, relatively low acidity and plenty of weight but not much in the way of finesse. Admittedly, I don't find the wine unenjoyable, and my score should reflect that. You have to admire its hedonism, and if that’s your bag, you’ll love it. But the 2009 harks back to a period when even some of the Médoc’s grandest châteaux seemed to follow a recipe, when more was always more.

This was always a controversial wine, seen by many as pushing ripeness and extraction too far. Deep blackish crimson. Less concentrated than the Montrose 2009 but with intense fragrance. On the palate it really opens out but the flavour is decidedly medicinal. A bit jagged and tough in terms of impact and obviously very extracted. (JR)