In June 2017, the celebrated wine critic Neal Martin joined Michel Reybier and Technical Director Dominique Arangoïts for an exceptional event: a vertical tasting of twenty iconic vintages of Cos d’Estournel.
In June 2017, the celebrated wine critic Neal Martin joined Michel Reybier and Technical Director Dominique Arangoïts for an exceptional event: a vertical tasting of twenty iconic vintages of Cos d’Estournel.
The selection of wines was meticulously chosen from years ranging from 1928 to 1996 and included legendary vintages with an intense emotional pull as well as wines produced during critical moments—often weather crises such as frost or heat waves—in the history of the estate.
The tasting was truly unprecedented, all the much more so given the rarity of certain ancient vintages. As each precious nectar was served and tasted, one could not help but be moved by the immense aging potential of the wines of Cos d’Estournel. Each vintage—whether the result of only two decades or nearly ninety years of cellaring—proved the start of a stirring emotional journey. It was a humbling experience, and the dedication of the generations of men and women who had labored in the vines and the cellar, often with limited resources and under difficult conditions, was deeply felt. The estate’s outstanding terroir also resonated in every marvelous sip, as the sublime aromas and finely rendered tastes and textures were released and savored.
Comparing such a wide panel of years was not without some unexpected discoveries. Certain pairs of closely spaced vintages—such as 1928/1929, 1947/1949 and 1959/1961—exhibited a major contrast of styles. Each wine manifested decisive, highly distinct characteristics, illustrating the capacity of the estate’s terroir to react, or even over-react, to counter certain meteorological factors. Surprisingly enough, it was often the later vintage in each pair that transcended its partner.
For Michel Reybier, it is primordial to embrace the legacy of Cos d’Estournel so that he may advance and continue to pursue the forward-looking philosophy of the estate’s founder. This is his gift to the men and women of the estate today. But it is only tomorrow—eighty, ninety, or even one hundred years from now—that future generations may once again glimpse the immortal spirit of Cos d’Estournel, as they taste the marvelous nectars that are being prepared for them at this moment in time.
The most recent vintages to be tasted were produced in the nineties. Despite being cellared for over twenty years, these were the younglings of the day, as compared to their much more ancient counterparts.
One of the great surprises of the event, Cos d’Estournel 1991 is a wonderfully refined wine. The Merlot and Cabernet grapes have come to full maturity, offering velvety tannins and luscious concentration.
Cos d’Estournel 1995 was harvested following an extremely hot, dry summer (the third hottest after 1900 and 1945) and is rich, fresh and complex. With a long, aromatic finish of spices, 1995 expresses all the qualities of the best vintages of Cos d’Estournel.
The youngest of the tasting, 1996 enjoyed above-average temperatures in June and exceptional ripening conditions starting late August. The freshness of Cabernet Sauvignon is rounded out by silky Merlot. The wine’s intense bouquet evokes graphite, peat and tobacco, notes that hint at imminent climax. Overall the 1996 vintage strikes a wonderful balance between the delightful characteristics of a young wine and the earliest hints of aging.
The vintages of 1988, 1989 and 1990 have long been considered the Golden Trilogy of Bordeaux.
Longer and more complex than expected, the 1988 vintage was one of the discoveries of the vertical tasting. It is a wine of wonderful maturity, with an intense nose of fruit that finishes with warming notes of spice. On the palate it is fresh and sapid with a magnificent finish.
The most iconic of the trilogy, Cos d’Estournel 1989 is simply breathtaking. Harvested under ideal conditions, it delivers beautiful nuances of flavor, striking a balance between complexity, freshness and vigour.
The 1990 vintage is sensuous and seductive, a marvelously rendered wine. It offers a long finish and aromatic complexity built on notes of spice. Whereas 1989 is exuberant and extreme, 1990 is astoundingly fresh.
These three vintages—alongside 1928 and 1929—display such highly contrasting characteristics that one cannot help but wonder if the clash of styles will endure over the years. Only time will tell…
Winegrowing techniques were revolutionized in the eighties, as winemakers began adapting their approaches to the specific needs and characteristics of each plot.
Initially Cos d’Estournel 1982 may have been considered at its best when enjoyed young, yet it continues to impress. 1982 saw perfect growing conditions, resulting in early development, an abundant quantity of grapes and a wine that has proved capable of aging beautifully. The 1982 vintage expresses a clean, fresh nose of fruit and is full and rich on the palate. After remaining somewhat reserved over the years, it is an elegant, remarkably vibrant wine that has reached its climax and is among the greatest vintages available today.
With a slightly more vibrant nose than 1982, the 1985 vintage evokes delicate notes of spice and the freshness typical of the Cabernet Sauvignon grape variety. It is a silky, precise wine that exudes warmth and vivacity, one that is truly pleasurable to drink.
The 1986 vintage enjoyed a very dry summer and perfect weather for the harvest. It is an intense wine with mineral notes and a marvelous finish.
The seventies marked a turning point in winemaking in Bordeaux as estates began introducing modern techniques in their cellars. For the first time, wines—and the conditions in which they were made—would be carefully monitored and controlled.
The 1971 vintage is the surprise of the decade. It fully expresses the style of the terroir of Cos d’Estournel and its rich hue distinguishes it from the older vintages of the tasting. Its nose is wonderfully fresh; on the palate it is round and full of fruit with an intense finish, all characteristics of a great vintage.
A late grower, the 1975 vintage was blessed with an “autumn miracle,” as it enjoyed superb conditions for ripening throughout the month of October. Today its aromas have evolved and the wine is pleasant to drink without being particularly memorable.
Despite the terrible heat wave of 1976, the 1976 vintage is a marvelous discovery: an elegant wine with much fruit and complexity.
Once again, this is a pair of vintages that, despite being nearly the same age, expresses sharply contrasting styles. As with 1928/1929 and 1947/1949, these wines are undeniably the handiwork of the winegrower and the winemaker who nurtured them, adjusting methods from one year to the next to let the terroir of the estate shine.
Cos d’Estournel 1959 offers an intense nose with notes of ripened fruit and spices. On the palate it is complex and full, fresh and mineral, evoking menthol and graphite. It is an exceptional wine of remarkable intensity.
A true revelation, the 1961 vintage offers a fresh, complex, elegant nose and is velvety and finely structured on the palate. It offers a sublime finish of incredible length and density. A highly sophisticated and refined wine, Cos d’Estournel 1961 is immensely memorable.
Produced during a period of post-war societal turmoil, these three vintages are a tribute to the men and women of the estate, who were nonetheless able to produce wines that express all the qualities of the vineyard’s terroir. Merlot is most likely the predominant grape variety, as an aerial photo from the estate’s archives show that the majority of plots used to grow grapes at the time were those adapted to Merlot.
As iconic as 2009, the 1947 vintage is equally superb. It is a dense and elegant wine, with a nose that continues to open with time. On the palate it is refined, round and complex with a great deal of fruit. Seventy years after harvest, the 1947 vintage has reached a remarkable climax.
Cos d’Estournel 1948 offers a beautifully complex yet discreet nose of fruit. It is a long and opulent wine.
Surprisingly enough, Cos d’Estournel 1949 was one of the most outstanding wines of the tasting, surpassing even the glorious vintage of 1947. As with the pairs of the 1928/1929 and 1959/1961 vintages, preconceived notions were upended and the less-favored wine surpassed its more highly esteemed partner. The nose of the 1949 vintage is discreet, with notes of menthol and pepper; on the palate it is fresh and vibrant. With a perfectly elegant and intense balance, it is a wine of immense seductive power, a magnificent Cos d’Estournel.
The most ancient vintages of the tasting, 1928 and 1929 were also among the preferred wines of the event. Very refined and complex, they both exhibit astonishing subtlety.
Like the 1933 vintage, they are challenging to taste, as one has little with which to compare their aromas, volume and structure. They are all the more astounding given the difficult economic context in which they were produced. And yet, after nearly a century of cellaring, they remain astonishingly powerful.
An exceptional wine, the 1928 vintage displays a lovely orange tinge at the rim and a discreet yet long and complex nose. On the palate it is rich and full, with notes of spice and an intense finish. What a humbling and moving experience to taste a wine produced nearly ninety years ago that still retains the full range of its concentration and strength!
But the real discovery of the day proved to be Cos d’Estournel 1929, deemed even more dazzling than its predecessor. A marvelously refined wine, it was by far the favorite of the tasting. Immensely satisfying, it offers an intense yet fresh nose with elegant notes of spice. It is clean and complex on the palate with a smooth, long, aromatic finish. As with other pairs of vintages (1947/1949 or 1959/1961), it seems that the winemakers of the time were constantly drawing upon their learnings from one harvest to the next to create an even more outstanding wine, the purest expression of the estate’s terroir.
The 1933 vintage exhibits a deeper hue and a nose reminiscent of candied fruit, with notes of cherry, truffle and peat. A very aromatic wine, it leaves behind an impression of concentration and elegance.
