Cos d'Estournel 2003

The prodigious, fantastic 2003 Cos d’Estournel is a candidate for “wine of the vintage.” A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon (unusually high for this chateau), 30% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, 17,500 cases were produced from low yields. An inky/blue/purple color is accompanied by a compelling perfume of black fruits, subtle smoke, pain grille, incense, and flowers. With extraordinary richness, full body, and remarkable freshness, elegance, and persistence, this is one of the finest wines ever made by this estate. The good news is that it will be drinkable at a young age yet evolve for three decades or more. Kudos to winemaker Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier.

Potentially the finest Cos d’Estournel I have ever tasted, this wine seems to have put on even more weight and gained strength even after its formidable performance nine months ago. Eighty percent new oak was used and the wine was aged on its lees until early summer of last year. A brilliant effort that is super-concentrated, yet also elegant and harmonious, the wine has an inky/purple color to the rim and a glorious nose of classic creme de cassis intermixed with some smoke, graphite, licorice, fig, and vanilla. Full-bodied, opulently textured, and incredibly concentrated, it has surprising freshness and definition for a wine of such intensity and richness. Jean-Guillaume Prats told me that the finished pH is only 3.6, which is lower than I would have suspected given the wine’s textural richness. Moreover, the alcohol is relatively high for a Bordeaux at 13.5% (compare that to the 13.1% of the 1990). The finish goes on for almost a minute as this is a truly profound wine that should take its place in the pantheon of great Bordeaux wines for many decades to come. Anticipated maturity: 2009-2030+.

Under the inspired ownership of Michel Reybier and his talented winemaking team, led by Jean-Guillaume Prats, Cos d’Estournel’s quality has been on the rise since the 2000 vintage. The 2003 is one of the greatest offerings this hallowed estate has ever produced. This 15,000-case cuvee is a blend of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon (atypically high), 27% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc. With a pH of 3.72, and 13.5% alcohol, it is a substantial yet extraordinarily elegant claret. There are no hints of over-ripeness (prunes, saddle leather, etc.) or exoticism, just classic black currant, melted licorice, blackberry, smoke, and spice notes. Seventy percent of the crop made it in to this cuvee, which was fashioned from low yields of 30 hectoliters per hectare. Cos d’Estournel appears to have done everything right, waiting to harvest fully ripe fruit (the Merlot between September 12-14, and the Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon between September 18 - 25). The wine possesses a thickness and unctuosity typical of the top 2003 northern Medocs as well as remarkable definition and elegance. It is the most impressive young Cos I have ever tasted. However, the tannin is high, so it will require patience. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2030. Bravo!

Gorgeous aromas of blackberry, spice and mineral. Full-bodied, with a long, long finish. This is first growth quality.

The estate says that it is the best wine they have ever made and I think they could be right.

Great depth of purple. Very very opulent, rich and round on the nose. Some attractively fresh tea leaf character and fragrance - great freshness relative to most wines of this vintage. Lovery well balanced vivacious mouthful. Lots of fine tanins underneath. Great star of the vintage with really fine equality. Dense certainly but a cool, refreshing note throughout.