2016 G d'Estournel, Médoc, Bordeaux
Critics reviews
Bottled in April 2016, the 2016 Goulée by Cos d’Estournel has a vivid, fresh, lively bouquet of black fruit infused with bell pepper. The palate is medium-bodied with grainy tannin and plenty of tarry black fruit laced with tobacco. I appreciate the freshness and classicism of this Goulée, which is more cohesive and shows a little more substance than previous vintages. Very fine.
Neal Martin, vinous.com (Dec 2018)
Takes a modern approach at first, with a glistening coat of sweet, vanilla-accented toast around a core of plush plum and blackberry puree flavors. A swath of tobacco and flashes of iron and cherry pit on the finish keep this grounded. Drink now through 2027. 7,917 cases made.
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator (Sep 2019)
Deep, dark and rich fruit, from plums to berries. Full bodied, layered, dense and very rich. Best after 2022.
James Suckling, jamessuckling.com (Feb 2019)
This is an excellent Goulée with the cooling edge of a beautiful fresh Médoc coupled with generosity. Easily one of the best Goulées that I have tasted. Flint and smoke aromatics on the nose are followed by welcoming red fruits through the body of the wine. 77% Merlot, 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Cabernet Franc, picked over a long harvest period from 28th September to 15th October. This is the first year the new plantings of Cabernet Sauvignon have been included in the blend. 3.65pH.
Drink 2023 - 2035
Jane Anson, Decanter.com (Apr 2017)
About this WINE
Cos d'Estournel
Château Cos d`Estournel is named after its 19th century owner, Louis-Gaspard d'Estournel, and it was he who built the bizarre oriental edifice that is a landmark for any tourist in the Médoc. Today Cos d'Estournel is without doubt the leading estate in St-Estéphe. It is located in the south of the appellation on the border with Pauillac and its vineyards are superbly sited on a south-facing gravel ridge with a high clay content, just north of Lafite.
Cos d'Estournel is typically a blend of 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc - do not be fooled by the relatively high Merlot content, as these are full-bodied, dark, brooding tannic wines when young which develop a complexity and intensity that can rival many top growths from Pauillac.
In 1998 the Prats family sold Cos d'Estournel to The Tailan Group. Cos d'Estournel is classified as a 2ème Cru Classé.
Saint-Estèphe
Saint-Estèphe is the northernmost of the most important communes of the Médoc and borders Pauillac on its southernmost border, with only a gully and stream separates it from Ch. Lafite. To the north lies the Bas-Médoc.
Saint-Estèphe is defined by the depth of its gravel, which is ubiquitous but of varying depths and occasionally very shallow, when clay predominates. This keeps the soil cooler and wetter than its counterparts so that the wines can appear fresh in lighter vintages, but superbly successful in hot, dry years.
The best châteaux in the south of the commune have the deepest soil and the thickest gravel. Cos d'Estournel has an exceptional terroir with its vineyards being located on a south-facing ridge of gravel with excellent drainage.
Saint-Estèphe is the least gravelly of main Médoc communes and in the north of the commune the vineyards are heavier and more clay-based leading to a rustic style of wine being produced.
The wines can appear austere in youth with a discernable ferric note at some châteaux, but the best typically display good depth of colour, pronounced acidity an tannins in youth and are exceptionally long-lived. At their best, they are the equal of almost any Bordeaux. The well-regarded St Estèphe co-operative controls the production of about half the appellation.
Recommended Châteaux
Cos (Ch. Cos d'Estournel), Ch. Montrose, Ch. Calon-Ségur, Ch. Lafon-Rochet, Ch. Les Ormes de Pez, Ch. Beau-Site, Ch. Cos Labory, Ch. Phélan-Ségur
Merlot
The most widely planted grape in Bordeaux and a grape that has been on a relentless expansion drive throughout the world in the last decade. Merlot is adaptable to most soils and is relatively simple to cultivate. It is a vigorous naturally high yielding grape that requires savage pruning - over-cropped Merlot-based wines are dilute and bland. It is also vital to pick at optimum ripeness as Merlot can quickly lose its varietal characteristics if harvested overripe.
In St.Emilion and Pomerol it withstands the moist clay rich soils far better than Cabernet grapes, and at it best produces opulently rich, plummy clarets with succulent fruitcake-like nuances. Le Pin, Pétrus and Clinet are examples of hedonistically rich Merlot wines at their very best. It also plays a key supporting role in filling out the middle palate of the Cabernet-dominated wines of the Médoc and Graves.
Merlot is now grown in virtually all wine growing countries and is particularly successful in California, Chile and Northern Italy.
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Description
Bottled under a special label for us for this vintage, this is made by the team behind the ornate Château Cos d’Estournel. The fruit hails from gravelly, sloping vineyards in the northern Médoc, facing the Gironde Estuary. Merlot (77% of the blend) gives seductive aromas of ripe black plums, berries and enticing mocha spice. Eucalyptus notes keep us refreshed. The palate is smooth, bold and generous, kept in check by a graphite core. With mellowed tannins and ample spice, this would pair beautifully with a lamb tagine. Drink now to 2030.
Victoria Bull, Wine Buying Assistant, Berry Bros. & Rudd (May 2022)
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