David D

9.0

Good acidity and tight tannins. Bright, blackberry, cranberry, saline and good mineral tang. From Orleans wine shop. — 6 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.4

Is there any meal better than steak (Ribeye) and well aged Claret? This is another 1991 Bordeaux experiment of mine. 1991 was a vintage with horrible frosts and a less than favorable growing season, right? A vintage critically panned. This is my 3rd recent 91 from a good producer. And again, it didn’t disappoint. Like 97 and 07, it’s better with the right bottle age than young. Magic evolution happened in the bottle way down the road. This 91 is in great form with a fair amount of life ahead of it. On the nose; a little ripe fruit funk, wonderful dark & lighter red cassis, ripe blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, plums, hues of blueberries, black raspberries, dry cranberries, vanilla, light cinnamon, rich, black turned earth, cedar, soft leather, dry stones, dry top soil, notes of dry herbs and fresh & dry red flowers. The body/palate is medium, round, ripe & still fresh. The tannins nearly completely resolved. Ripe, floral fruits of; blackberries, dark cherries, poached strawberries, plums, hues of blueberries, black raspberries, dry cranberries & half cooked rhubarb. Vanilla, light cinnamon, touch of clove & nutmeg, rich, black turned earth, cedar, soft leather, dry stones, dry crushed rocks, dry top soil, notes of dry herbs, a little band-aid and fresh & dry red flowers. The acidity drips over the palate and the long, well balanced, still structured, nice tension, good length finish lasts over a minute. Again, love & appreciate the 12.5% alcohol. What a beauty with and without the steak. Next time you’re in your fine wine retail shop and see a quality producers 91 that’s been well stored, buy it and have it with a Ribeye. Photos of; their exotic Estate, Chateau interior, newer barrel room and their vines as viewed from the front of the Chateau that are across the road. Producer notes and history...Cos d’Estournel has a long distinguished history in the St. Estephe. Louis Gaspard d’Estournel, gave his name to the estate after founding in 1811. It did not take long before Cos d’Estournel became famous with wine lovers and royalty all over the world. In those early days, Cos d’Estournel did not sell through Negociants. The owner preferred selling his wine directly to his customers. In fact, Cos d’Estournel was exported to numerous countries across the globe, with a large portion of the production being sold to India. It was that connection to India that inspired much of the unique, east Indian design we see at Cos d’Estournel today. Cos d’Estournel was one of the first Bordeaux Chateaux’s to bottle, label and sell their own wine. This practice continued until the death of Louis Gaspard d’Estournel in 1852. If you’re at the property, the statue on the bench in the front courtyard is of the founder, Louis Gaspard d’Estournel. The Estate was then purchased by an owner that sold their wines on the Place de Bordeaux using the negociant system. If the Chateau was not selling their wines through the negociant system, it would never have been included in the 1855 Classification. Imagine that! So, it turned out to be a fortuitous decision. Cos d’Estournel was sold to the Charmolue family owners of the neighboring Estate of Chateau Montrose. They continued to own the estate until 1917, when it was bought by Fernand Ginestet. This purchase was the beginning of the next major step in the development of Cos d’Estournel. Decades later, the grandchildren of Fernand Ginestet, Jean-Marie Prats, Yves Prats and Bruno Prats took over ownership and management of Cos d’Estournel. In 1995, Bruno Prats sold the property to the Merlaut family, owners of the Taillan Group. The next era in the development of Cos d’Estournel took place in 2000, when Cos d’Estournel was bought by the industrious and wealthy Michel Reybier, who earned his fortune in the food industry. Michel Reybier hired the son of Bruno Prats, Jean-Guillaume Prats to manage Cos d’Estournel. Things further improved with the efforts of Jean-Guillaume Prats who helped design the most modern wine making at that time. A complete renovation of Cos d’Estournel took place in not only the wine making facilities and cellars, but in parts of the Chateau as well. While the wine making facilities are completely modern with their 100% gravity design, the outward appearance retained the original design and feeling that has always been a part of Cos d’Estournel. On October 15, 2012, Jean Guillaume Prats announced he was leaving Cos d’Estournel to join LVMH (Pichon Baron). Jean Guillaume Prats was replaced by Aymeric de Gironde. Following the departure of Aymeric de Gironde in 2017, the owner, Michel Reybier took over managing the Estate. What makes the remodel special is that the cellars of Cos d’Estournel are entirely operated by gravity. There are no pumps of any kind to force the wine. The purpose is to allow a gentleness to the wine and improve its purity and allow for the expression of their terroir. It set a new benchmark for cellars not only in the Left Bank, but in all of Bordeaux. Perhaps, the most inventive part of the cellars is the four 100 hectoliter lift tanks or wine elevators that replace the pumps used in the traditional pumping over and the racking off processes, which introduce air and often destabilize the marc. From the moment the grapes arrive, everything travels by the flow of gravity. Jean Guillaume Prats called this process a “pumpless pump over.” The 91 hectare vineyard of Cos d’Estournel is planted to 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. The vineyard is located extremely close to the border between Pauillac and Saint Estephe at the southern tip of the Saint Estephe. The Estate has very old Merlot vines as well, which date back more than 100 years. Part of the terroir is situated on the hill of Cos, which is at a high elevation for the Medoc at 20 meters. They also make a second wine called Pagodes de Cos. This is a great wine to buy in very good vintages. Especially, if your budget prohibits you from purchasing their first wine. — 7 years ago

Nicholas Stoeberl

10

A Birthday Delicacy — 9 years ago

Neil Barham

9.1

At #WineWave PBC 's best wine shop. #DelrayBeach — 9 years ago

Mark Schumacher

9.2

Drank at butcher shop with Connor and Jeremiah. Good stuff — 9 years ago

Aaron

10

This is my favorite wine at the moment. saw a picture of the queen from game of thrones with a bottle of it and then ran across it in a shop that day. Great coincidence! Do yourself a favor and pick up a bottle. — 9 years ago

Mari Kitahata

9.7

Region cut off from Chateaneuf de Pape by hwy so cheaper. Medium Rhone with French funky notes. Sellwood wine shop. $37.50 — 11 years ago

Rufus King

9.7

Super smooth and delicious, velvety with cherry, at the Butcher Shop in the South End, Boston — 6 years ago

Ro Rich

8.9

Like this better than the 2015 — 6 years ago

Sipping Fine Wine

9.1

In 2005 Marie and Frédéric Chauffray came across the perfect plot of land—25 acres on the plateau of Arboras in Terrasses du Larzac, situated in the Langeudoc. They sold the prestigious wine shop they owned outside Paris and embarked upon the dream of making wine, together founding Domaine de La Réserve d'O. Berry fruit and cacao notes. Cherry and mocha with spice and fine tannins. Lingering finish with ending with mineral notes. — 7 years ago

Max

9.2

Happy to find this in the local wine shop. — 8 years ago

Scott Petrus

8.9

A massive #qpr for Syrah. $10.99 at gourmet shop. — 8 years ago

Jill Penn

9.0

Weekday perfect!! — 8 years ago

Jason Malia

9.0

Strong flavor of chocolate. I wouldn't consider it wine really, but it's very nice tasting — 8 years ago

Ilana Eck

9.5

Jammy and rich, full bodied pinot. Long finish with nice amount of spice at the end. Loved it. $30 at wine shop in Amsterdam near W 74th. (no Bueno with peaches, which were in dessert) — 9 years ago

Rich Reader

8.9

Saw this at the gelato shop — 9 years ago

Pei-y Ni

10

$15.99 for my local wine shop. — 9 years ago

Matthew Choi

9.3

Country spice shop — 9 years ago

Amy Bradac

9.9

Excellent! From Taraval wine shop — 11 years ago

Kelsey Irish

9.5

From Local Somerville wine shop. Good with large ice cube — 6 years ago

Keith Watson

8.9

Heimlich Treu in Berlin — 6 years ago

Joe Carroll

Owner/Wine Director Spuyten Duyvil, Fette Sau, St. Anselm & Gotham Artisanal Provisions

9.1

Not sure how I feel about his wine. It's clearly well made and crazy intense but that's the problem it's kinda too intense. I don't think I could finish an entire glass let alone a bottle. It's got everything dialed up to 11. — 7 years ago

Michael Piaker

9.0

7 June 2017. The Four Horsemen, Brooklyn, NY. — 7 years ago

Matthew Neeper

9.0

Very good. Not too sweet. Not dry. Does have a chocolate taste but it's not too chocolatey to me. — 8 years ago

Devin Bray

9.0

Delicate and subdued on the palate, with cassis and some black pepper coming through. This bottle, tasted at their storefront shop, was probably open for a day or two before I tasted. I imagine it would have been showing a bit better yesterday, with more complexity and punch. Still good. — 8 years ago

David D

9.5

Dark brick color. Supple, full, and delicious. Leather, earthy, a little woody, cocoa, plum skin, currants, a little inky. Needed several hours to breathe. From Eataly wine shop. — 8 years ago

Lars Kronlund

9.2

A classic Hermitage which was luscious and inviting in it's youth, only to close shop completely for a good number of years, like a stubborn goth teenager. But at the ripe age of 17, it is once again deep, open and warm like a night in Marrakech. Well worthy of celebrating my father's 84th birthday. — 9 years ago

Matthew Jauregui

9.2

I found this at my new favorite wine shop DomaineLA. I recently discovered this wine company, after reading my favorite wine blog@Whitney Adams great old vine flavor, out of Sonoma county Ca. Wine is packed with fruit, ruby red grapefruit, cherries, strawberries, and very acidic. Goes down very well. — 9 years ago

with Shelby

Jessica Lynn

10

Fave of all time!!! — 9 years ago

Natalie Stassen

9.6

Tastes just like a chocolate covered strawberry. Excellent

— 10 years ago