2021 Les Pagodes de Cos - Zweitwein von Cos d'Estournel - St. Estephe AC

Decanter.com – 90 pts – GH: *Fragrant with soft spicing, vanilla, cedar, cinnamon, dark chocolate with bramble tones and blackcurrant leaf. Fruit feels well worked, I love the texture here - still quite straight and linear, all in one line, but with cool fruit nuances, svelte and sleek tannins and a lovely freshness. Also these spicy Cabernet markers too which are so appealing. Direct with chalky elements that are given lift by the quite present acidity, adding a vivacity to the overall flavour. Good complexity and broad structure. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.* - 04/2022

Falstaff Magazin – 92 pts – PM: *Tiefdunkles Rubingranat, opaker Kern, violette Reflexe, zarte Randaufhellung. Zart nach Feigen, schwarze Kirschen, ein Hauch von Zwetschken, deutlich von Merlot akzentuiertes Bukett. Saftig, zarte Fruchtsüße, reife Tannine, schokoladige Nuancen, mineralisch-salzig im Abgang, ein vielseitiger Speisenbegleiter.* - 05/2022

Vinum Magazin – 15,5/20 pts: *Fleischig, saftig, rund, geschmeidig, deutlicher Merlot-Ausdruck; gut gelungen.*

WeinWisser – 17,5+/20pts – GL, TW: *60 % Merlot, 36 % Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 % Cabernet Franc, 1 % Petit Verdot. Delikates Bouquet, frisch gepflückte Schattenmorelle, Preiselbeersaft und zartes Veilchenparfüm. Am Gaumen mit butterweicher Textur, herrlicher Extraktfülle, fein körnig, bleibt dabei elegant und leichtfüßig, stützendes reifes Tannin und mittlerer Körper. Im gebündelten Finale rotbeerige Konturen, heller Tabak gepaart mit edler Salznote. Kann noch zulegen.* – 04/2022

Vinous.com – 90 pts – AG: *The 2021 Les Pagodes de Cos is a big, potent wine. A blast of plum, blackberry, espresso, chocolate and licorice is dialed up to the maximum. Readers will find an explosive, almost shockingly full-throttle wine for the year. This feels a bit bombastic to me.* - 12/2023

Vinous.com – 90 pts – NM: *The 2021 Les Pagodes de Cos, which represents around half the chateau’s production, has meliorated on the nose since I tasted it from barrel, developing a little more charm and swagger in its mixture of black and red fruit, graphite and mocha. The palate is medium-bodied with firm tannins, quite strict and linear, but at least there is ample freshness here. Saline on the finish and classic in style, the 2021 is just missing a bit of length. Fine.* - 11/2023

Thewinecellarinsider.com – (90-92) pts – JL: *Medium-bodied, fresh, vibrant, soft and sweet, the wine is focused on its core of spiced red fruits with its hints of cigar box and savory notes on the nose, palate and dark red pit fruit filled, round, polished finish. The wine blends 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2023-2038.* - 05/2022