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| | Vintage | 2005 |  Label 1 of 700 
 | | Type | Red | | Producer | Château Cos d'Estournel (web) | | Variety | Red Bordeaux Blend | | Designation | n/a | | Vineyard | n/a | | Country | France | | Region | Bordeaux | | SubRegion | Médoc | | Appellation | St. Estèphe | | UPC Code(s) | 000001979701, 000004209652, 086454010123, 087000347649, 3339010511013, 3339010511211, 3339010811014, 3339011411015, 3364420040297, 338870511013, 3394150020900, 3419466242331, 3450301060826, 400009765489, 616773325433, 636659007758, 639737586480, 649944080657 |
| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 95 pts. and median of 95 pts. in 478 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by catowne1 on 5/4/2024 & rated 95 points: Hard to believe this wine is almost 20 years old. Still drinking very big and bold. Tannins are still grippy. drinkable now, but needs a good amount of time in my opinion. (1483 views) | | | Tasted by Édifice on 5/4/2024 & rated 97 points: Fantastic wine with a wonderful bouquet, dark, ripe berries, spices and crushed stones, flowers. Very silky palate, spicy, dark fruited, a bit of chocolate, yet some freshness, leading to long finish with very fine tannins. Ready to drink with a bit of decant. For sure a more exotic, modern wine, but by no means overdone. (1269 views) | | | Tasted by Matt T on 5/1/2024 & rated 95 points: From a 375 and consistent with prior notes. This is just starting to be ready. This is a big wine with a lot of fruit, but is restrained and elegant. There is a wall of fine tannin here that is still breaking down. No doubt, a classic wine that is likely to continue to improve. (1840 views) | | | Tasted by melvinyeowq on 4/30/2024 & rated 86 points: Pre-Labour Day drinks: Such a contrast to the brilliant '96 Calon Segur that came before, clearly a Parkerized, over-extracted wine from a hot vintage. Guessed '05 or ‘09 left-bank modern producer. Agree whole-heartedly with the previous note that said this was soupy and muddled. (1907 views) | | | Tasted by platpeeps on 4/9/2024 & rated 87 points: The mouthfeel immediately shouted over-extraction, with sweet and spicy dark fruits developing mocha from the mid-palate through to the finish. I found this soupy and muddy, lacking the focus and structure I expect from fine claret. A lighter touch on the tiller could have improved this no end. CHP 87pts (3183 views) | | | Tasted by cubswinws on 3/29/2024 & rated 94 points: Really outstanding. The first 2005 Bordeaux that seems in its prime drinking window to me. Maybe they are just starting to hit their stride. (2876 views) | | | Tasted by HalaniMD on 3/16/2024 & rated 100 points: This was just…wow. Reserved with initial notes and closed off. With a 3.5 hour bottle decant, this turned out to be the most remarkable wine I have had in a very long time. Its evolution reminded me of the 05 Baron de Pichon but this sang in the most amazing way. The nose showed menthol, cedar, and dark black fruits. The color was inky with bricking at the rim. The palate shows juicy dark black fruits (mostly seared blackberry), licorice, milky dark chocolate, a finish that goes forever, and truly “SILKY” tannins. The finish goes forever. My heart melts that this is my only bottle. (3751 views) | | | Tasted by daghaug on 2/23/2024: Relativt lukka på duft rett fra flaska. Men synger i munnen! Flott tanninstruktur som holder orden på en deilig fruktsødme. I bakgrunnen litt skogbunn og blyantspiss. Tanninene snerper godt ennå. Noe tobakk og skogbunn dukker opp på duft etter noen minutter i glasset. Venter.
Noen timer seinere er tanninene helt supre til entrecote. Men er det lufta eller er det fettet? Herlig er det i alle fall. Fremdeles litt tilbaketrukket på duft, noe skuffende for en 2 cru. Uansett en fin opplevelse. Kan vente en hos stund med neste. (4480 views) | | | Tasted by MariusA on 2/17/2024 & rated 89 points: Opened this bottle after having a flawed bottle of '02 La Tache. This bottle wasn't singing like the others I've had. Tannic and just not open for business even after a couple of hours of decant. (4683 views) | | | Tasted by MariusA on 1/4/2024 & rated 95 points: Absolutely delicious. Needs an hour + of decant. (6000 views) | | | Tasted by SMagowan on 12/31/2023 & rated 97 points: From a double mag. Opened 3 hours in advance. Decanted the whole bottle through a filter to remove fine sediment. Rinsed bottle and poured back in. Everyone in the party of 14 had at least a taste and we all were entranced. It tasted marvelous and we enjoyed it very much. (5080 views) | | | Tasted by Throughthegrapevine on 12/30/2023 & rated 97 points: Incredible sense of youth and energy. Perfect drinking but no need to hurry. Text book St. Estephe, and a true Cos! (4576 views) | | | Tasted by RoosterBird on 12/20/2023 & rated 93 points: This is the first time I’ve had this wine before, but my impression is that it is going thru an awkward phase, or phase shift, from young to old. There was a unique ‘greek yogurt’ note present that I’ve only ever tasted in Promontory barrel samples previously, that really seemed to crowd out the tobacco and cedar notes that were just barely beginning to emerge. We decanted for 3 hrs and then drank it slowly over another few hours and it was ever so slowly continuing to evolve with air.
All signs point to ‘hold’. (4631 views) | | | Tasted by NEducatedGes on 12/9/2023 & rated 94 points: Only had little over hr to breath. Amazing nose, but tannins need to settle down.
If drinking today let it breathe for 3/4 hours. 94+ today. (4738 views) | | | Tasted by dsimmons on 12/7/2023: This beast needs more cellar time to mellow a bit more. Hold (4604 views) | | | Tasted by scott@asrestaurant.com on 11/23/2023 & rated 94 points: 2005 vintage. Decanted and tasted immediately and through 3 hours. Great fill/appropriate aging cork. Medium sed. Noticeably dark color. Any trace of the usual Cos baby fat for the first decade+ after release long gone geek. Interesting. This was a lean, mean, street-fighting machine with "minerality" to spare. Intense. Compact. Unsure if it will continue to menace in the next decade of life or retreat into a reclusive, "turtling" period. Best guess? Street-fighter par excellence. Regardless of taking the high or low road, it's not devolving into a drink 'em if you got 'em any time soon scenario. Thanksgiving 11.23.23. (4211 views) | | | Tasted by indiscriminate palate on 11/23/2023: Open six hours. Fairly low-intensity nose, restrained nose. Palate is showing only a little fruit and solid tannin. Showing promise but still quite young and needs more years. (3853 views) | | | Tasted by Gdubya on 11/5/2023 & rated 94 points: Decantered for 20 mins, then back in the bottle for a couple of hours. (Plenty of sediment in the bottle)
Very dark in colour, ripe blackcurrant, powerful. Likely needs more time to peak and, with hindsight a longer decant
Nice wine. I’m about 94-96 on this one (4757 views) | | | Tasted by Baron Samedi on 11/4/2023 & rated 93 points: Still an abundance of dark red fruit, cigarbox, and a hint of oriental spices, although still present tannins mask everything a bit. Elegant and multilayered structure. This was pure joy. (4242 views) | | | Tasted by JRavn on 10/13/2023 & rated 94 points: Fantastic wine! In its drinking window, slow-oxed for 4-5 hours, tobacco, dark red fruit and just in beautiful balance (4766 views) | | | Tasted by jmoon on 10/2/2023 & rated 95 points: Two hour double decant. Hints at greatness as hugely structure with wonderful fruit but it’s all a bit tightly wound and didn’t reveal more than a tease. Next bottle in two years. Enjoyment 92 potential 97. (5347 views) | | | Tasted by sean20waldo on 9/28/2023 & rated 96 points: Wow, just a lovely wine, drinking well now (Cos tasting at Masion Estelle) (2623 views) | | | Tasted by WineTraveler42 on 9/24/2023 & rated 96 points: For me, this was the wine of the night. Tasted alongside Montrose and Cantanec Brown in a 2005 horizontal. Double decanted three hours before serving. The wine is in a great place - smooth and elegant with lovely bright fruit. Delicate floral notes. This wine has a LONG life ahead of it - although it was drinking beautifully last night. Sadly, this was my last bottle. I will have to go find more! (5356 views) | | | Tasted by Hazeo on 9/11/2023 & rated 95 points: An exquisite bottle not quite at prime. Dense and packed with flavors yet elegant. While many have commented that Cos d’Estournel has been overly modernized this bottle was very nicely balanced. Certainly not the rustic Bordeaux of old but immensely enjoyable by dad and I.
Next (last) bottle in 5-10 years (5195 views) | | | Tasted by TexasBob on 8/30/2023 & rated 94 points: Fairly light garnet red under the light. Spiced red berries on the nose . Notes of tart red cherries, wild strawberries, pomegranate, with a lovely dusty (almost chalky) tannic texture. There are also floral elements, a touch of vanillin, and a whole lot more. This isn’t really my preferred style of wine but it is really well-made if this is your profile. (5339 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Charles Curtis MW
Decanter, Bordeaux 2005 retrospective (6/26/2021)
(Château Cos d'Estournel, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2005 Bordeaux: Here and Now (Apr 2021) (4/1/2021)
(Cos d'Estournel Cos d'Estournel Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Hemming, MW
JancisRobinson.com (11/27/2020)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jeb Dunnuck
JebDunnuck.com, Up From The Cellar No. 10 & Misc New Releases (6/2/2020)
(Chateau Cos d’Estournel) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Neal Martin
Vinous, Fairest of Them All: Cos d’Estournel 1928 – 2015 (Oct 2018) (10/1/2018)
(Cos D'estournel Cos D'estournel Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, JA Cos d'Estournel Vertical (7/2/2018)
(Château Cos d'Estournel, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jane Anson
Decanter, JA Cos d'Estournel Vertical (7/1/2018)
(Château Cos d'Estournel, St-Estèphe, Bordeaux, France, Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Gary Walsh
The WINEFRONT (3/16/2018)
(Chateau Cos d’Estournel) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/23/2017)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Antonio Galloni
Vinous, 2005 Bordeaux with Tanzer & Galloni (Nov 2015) (11/1/2015)
(Cos D'estournel Cos D'estournel) Subscribe to see review text. | By James Suckling
JamesSuckling.com (9/22/2015)
(Château Cos d’Estournel Saint-Estèphe, France) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (4/22/2015)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (1/29/2015)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, January 2015 (1/1/2015)
(Château Cos d’Estournel St Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (8/20/2013)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, Cos d'Estournel Vertical (1/16/2011)
(Cos d'Estournel) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Chris Kissack
Winedoctor, November 2009
(Chateau Cos d'Estournel St Estèphe) Subscribe to see review text. | By John Kapon
Vintage Tastings, Bordeaux Horizontals (5/11/2009)
(Cos d'Estournel) Login and sign up and see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/20/2009)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (2/18/2009)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (10/31/2008)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2007, IWC Issue #132
(Chateau Cos d'Estournel Saint Estephe) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, May/June 2006, IWC Issue #126
(Chateau Cos d'Estournel Saint Estephe) Subscribe to see review text. | By Jancis Robinson, MW
JancisRobinson.com (4/13/2006)
(Ch Cos d'Estournel St-Estèphe Red) Subscribe to see review text. | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (4/6/2013)
(Château Cos d'Estournel) Very dark red violet color; cedar, tart currant, light herb, marjoram, coffee nose; plush, tart currant, coffee, marjoram, tart black currant palate with firm tannins; needs 6-plus years yet; long finish 94 points |  By Gary Vaynerchuk
Wine Library TV, Top 2 Wines From The Book, Episode #514 (8/6/2008)
(Chateau Cos d'Estournel) COLOR-dark; NOSE-some black cherry, leather & Asian spice, but quite tight right now; TASTE-great complexity; bright cherries are coming through; the polish is intense; I still taste the lingering finish on this classic Bordeaux; the back-end tannins completely convince me that this wine has the potential age for 50+ years; an amazing freshness; as this wine develops, I'm looking forward to the 2nd tier flavors on the mid-palate; dark fruits dominate this wine (black cherries & black fruit); the finish is staggeringly long; this is textbook & classic Bordeaux; great effort; GV-98+ 98+ points | By Richard Jennings
RJonWine.com (1/13/2008)
(Château Cos d'Estournel) Black red violet color; incense and sandalwood nose; tasty, sexy, espresso, toasty, black fruit palate; medium-plus finish 93+ pts. 93 points |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Decanter and Vinous and JancisRobinson.com and JebDunnuck.com and The WINEFRONT and JamesSuckling.com and Winedoctor and Vintage Tastings and RJonWine.com and Wine Library TV. (manage subscription channels) |
| Château Cos d'Estournel Producer website – Read more about Chateau Cos d’Estournel2005 Château Cos d'EstournelGrand Cru Classe 2nd Growth
78% Cabernet Sauvignon
19% Merlot
3% Cabernet FrancRed Bordeaux BlendRed Bordeaux is generally made from a blend of grapes. Permitted grapes are Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Petit Verdot, Malbec and rarely Carménère.Today Carménère is rarely used, with Château Clerc Milon, a fifth growth Bordeaux, being one of the few to still retain Carménère vines. As of July 2019, Bordeaux wineries authorized the use of four new red grapes to combat temperature increases in Bordeaux. These newly approved grapes are Marselan, Touriga Nacional, Castets, and Arinarnoa.
Wineries all over the world aspire to making wines in a Bordeaux style. In 1988, a group of American vintners formed The Meritage Association to identify wines made in this way. Although most Meritage wines come from California, there are members of the Meritage Association in 18 states and five other countries, including Argentina, Australia, Canada, Israel, and Mexico.France Vins de France (Office National Interprofessionnel des Vins ) | Pages Vins, Directory of French Winegrowers | French Wine (Wikipedia)
Wine Scholar Guild vintage ratings
2018 vintage: "marked by a wet spring, a superb summer and a good harvest"
2019 vintage reports
2021: "From a general standpoint, whether for white, rosé or red wines, 2021 is a year marked by quality in the Rhône Valley Vineyards. Structured, elegant, fresh and fruity will be the main keywords for this new vintage."
2022 harvest: idealwine.info | wine-searcher.comBordeaux Bordeaux Wine Guide
Vins Bordeaux (Conseil Interprofessionnel du Vin de Bordeaux)
History of Bordeaux
History of 1855 Bordeaux Classification
"2009 is all about ripeness, with wines impressively packed with ripe fruit and high alcohol levels. They are showy, in-your-face, and full of pleasure. The 2010s have the fruit and alcohol levels of the 2009s, but with a compelling freshness on the finish that balances the fruit and provides a perfect sense of structure." - Ben Nelson
"2016 is a landmark vintage in certain spots of Bordeaux and it should be remembered as one of the most inspired campaigns of the last 40-50+ years." -Jon Rimmerman
"The quality of red Bordeaux in 2016 was universally lauded – although the response to the en primeur campaign was muted. Quantity was high too, with the equivalent of 770 million bottles of wine produced. An exceptionally dry summer with cool nights eventually, thanks to mid September rain, resulted in small, thick-skinned, ripe grapes, and the wines are marked by high tannin and acidity, with superb aromatic fragrance." - Jancis Robinson
"2017 was complicated, but there are some excellent wines. Expect plenty of freshness and drinkability from wines that will offer excellent value, and others that will rival 2016 in terms of ripeness and ageability. But they are likely to be the exception not the rule, making careful selection key." - Jane Anson
"In the past, a vintage such as 2022 may have been overripe, raisined and low in acidity but 2022 had a sneaky little reservoir in its back pocket - a near perfect marriage of cool/cold/rain the previous winter and the previous vintage that literally soaked the soils (a key to why 2022 is not 2003...or 1893)." - Jon RimmermanMédoc Vins du Médoc (Conseil des Vins du Médoc) - Read More about the Medoc
VdB
The eight precisely defined appellations of the whole of the Médoc (from Blanquefort Brook to the north of the Bordeaux built-up area, almost to the Pointe de Grave) may claim the Médoc appellation. But there is also a specific territory in the north of the peninsula which produces exclusively wines with this appellation. In the great majority, the Médocs come from the north of the peninsula. The great individuality of this region is that the number of vines has increased more recently here than elsewhere, apart from a few isolated spots where vines have grown for many years. Today, the size of the small estate has brought about the development of a powerful co-operative movement. Four co-operatives out of five belong to the group called Unimédoc which ensures aging, bottling and marketing a large proportion of their wines.St. Estèphe Read more about St. Estephe and its wines Whereas the first activity recorded in Saint-Estèphe goes back as far as the Middle Bronze Age, the first vines date from the Roman Occupation. But it was the Bordeaux merchants who by aging and selling Saint-Estèphe wines themselves were largely responsible for this appellation's fame. And in the nineteenth century, noted for its prosperity, the great estates of today were created. The movement continues today with the merging of small estates.
A land of great wines, Saint-Estèphe is situated almost in the centre of the Médoc, close to the Gironde Estuary. The appellation is equidistant from Bordeaux and the Pointe de Grave.
The beds of soil are characterized by their remarkable diversity, the result of their undulating relief and excellent drainage. Quartz and well-rounded pebbles mingled with light, sandy surface soil are found everywhere, giving the wines a distinctive finesse. And the subsoil is made up of the famous Saint-Estèphe limestone, which outcrops on the west of the commune.
Tasting
Thanks to ideal conditions of climate and geology, Saint-Estèphe wines are characterized by their sturdy qualities and robust constitution. Accordingly, they can be laid down for a very long time while yet preserving their youth and freshness. Distinguished by a subsoil which is more clayey than that in the other communal appellations which lie by the river, the wine here attains a distinctive individuality : a very rich tannic structure, a fine deep red colour and an exceptional backbone with aromas of great finesse.
Production conditions (Decree dated September 11, 1936):
In order to have the right to the Saint-Estèphe appellation of controlled origin, red wines must:
- come from the communes of Saint-Estèphe, "excluding any parcels in that area which are situated on recent alluvium and sand on impermeable subsoils",
- satisfy precise production conditions : grape-varieties (Cabernet-Sauvignon, Cabernet-Franc, Carmenère, Merlot Noir, Petit Verdot, Cot or Malbec), minimum of sugar (178 grammes - 6.27 oz. - per litre of must) degree (an acquired 10°5) base yield (45 hectolitres per hectare). |
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