2009 Cos d'Estournel, St Estèphe, Bordeaux

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, sauted 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.Lisa Perrotti-Brown - 14/03/2019

One of the greatest young wines I have ever tasted, the monumental 2009 Cos d’Estournel has lived up to its pre-bottling potential. A remarkable effort from winemaking guru Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest Merlot (33%) and a touch of Cabernet Franc (2%) was cropped at 33 hectoliters per hectare. It boasts an inky/black/purple color along with an extraordinary bouquet of white flowers interwoven with blackberry and blueberry liqueur, incense, charcoal and graphite. The wine hits the palate with extraordinary purity, balance and intensity as well as perfect equilibrium, and a seamless integration of tannin, acidity, wood and alcohol. An iconic wine as well as a remarkable achievement, it is the greatest Cos d’Estournel ever produced. It is approachable enough at present that one could appreciate it with several hours of decanting, but it will not hit its prime for a decade, and should age effortlessly for a half century. robert_parker - Wine Advocate - February 2012

56% of the crop went into Cos. 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 33% Merlot, 2% Cabernet Franc, 80% new barrels. Prats: ‘A bit like 2003, average yield 33 hl/ha. We had to reject all the [most stressed] south-facing parcels where the vines shut down. It’s a very atypical, baroque Cos.’ Very dark indeed. Blackish crimson. Not much scent though obviously very ripe. Firmer than some of the more obvious Napa Valley-style wines in 2009 with the tannins much more obvious. But a coolness on the finish. This may come round eventually. It is much more demanding than most 2009s and will need SO long. A very exaggerated wine with a bit of a hole in the middle. A definite lack of freshness. Does remind me a little bit of Pavie 2003. To be generous I’m assuming that in the far distant future it may resolve itself but I can’t quite understand why they let the grapes get so ripe. Harvest dates are pretty similar to Ch Latour but the results are very different. . jancis_robinson_mw MW, JancisRobinson.com - Apr 2010

Superb black red, very full and spicy, very broadly structured, really quite massive (14.5abv) and will take years to pick up finesse, a 'baroque' almost Porty wine, explosively rich and definitely impressive if not a typical Saint-Estèphe.

This smells like Harlan a bit. Supercharged in fruit, with intense aromas of tar, spice, cardamon, clove, blackberry and black pepper. Crazy nose. Full-bodied, with masses of fruit, yet focused and in form. Chewy tannins, with great length. This goes on and on. Incredibly exotic. Could be best ever from here. james_suckling - Wine Spectator - Apr 2010