Cos d'Estournel Saint Estèphe 2017

98+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (Wine Advocate): "Composed of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc, yields for the grand vin in 2017 were 43 hectoliters per hectare, and it was aged in 60% new oak. It came in at an alcohol of 13% and an IPT of 68. Deep garnet-purple colored, the 2017 Cos d'Estournel needs a little coaxing to unfurl, revealing beautiful expressions of preserved plums, boysenberries, blackcurrant pastilles and wild blueberries with hints of Indian spices, menthol, lilacs and mossy tree bark plus a compelling suggestion of iron ore. Medium to full-bodied, the palate has a solid backbone of firm, grainy tannins and well-knit freshness supporting the tightly wound blue and black fruits layers, finishing long and fragrant. This wine will need a good 5-7 years in bottle before it begins to blossom and should go on for at least another 40 years. I expect this wine to be a blockbuster of a head-turner when I come back and taste it at 10 years of age! Drink: 2025-2065. (3/16/20)"

98 points James Suckling: "Quite the bottle here! Spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon, as well as dried meat and plums with cedar and sandalwood. Full body. Deep and dense in the center palate and a long, long finish. Shows finesse and tightness. Very polished tannins. Long and ethereal. Try after 2023. (12/19/19)"

97+ points Lisa Perrotti-Brown (The Wine Independent): "The 2017 Cos d’Estournel has a medium to deep garnet-purple color. It needs a little coaxing to reveal classic notes of cassis, ripe juicy plums, and cedar chest, followed by hints of tar, graphite, and bay leaves, with a waft of truffles. Medium-bodied, the palate is tightly wound with energetic black fruits and mineral layers, supported by grainy tannins and plenty of freshness, finishing with great length. Alcohol 13%. Drink: 2024-2054. (12/29/22)"

96 points Jane Anson (Decanter): "The Indian-inspired 19th century architecture at Château Cos d’Estournel (and its 100-year-old vines) sits in stark contrast to the modern winery, with its 100% gravity-fed cellar and shiny isothermal vats. The 2017 is a blend of 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, aged in 60% new oak. Georgie Hindle: Beautifully floral notes on the nose. Just so appealing and inviting. Rich and quite sensuous on the palate – texture of crushed velvet, mineral, with fleshy weight. Mouthfilling, on the richer, plusher side, lots going on. Vincenzo Arnese: A rich, developed nose, showing ripe blackcurrant, raisins and sultanas, with a hint of black tea. Rich and poised. Tannins are powerful and will integrate better with time, but the potential is astonishing. Andy Howard MW: Deep, impenetrable colour. Soft, voluptuous palate with ripe, dark fruits, an exotic edge, fine tannins and fresh acidity to finish. Has concentration and weight for further development. Drinking Window: 2023-2048. (2/25/22)"

95 points Antonio Galloni (Vinous): "A bold, dramatic wine, the 2017 Cos d'Estournel is seriously impressive today. Time in barrel has done wonders for the 2017, a wine that has really gained depth in élevage. Black cherry, chocolate, spice, new leather, licorice, smoke and incense infuse the 2017 with tons of character, with the 60% new oak very well judged. In 2017, Cos has a level of textural resonance that eludes many Saint-Estèphes. The blend is 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot, 1% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc. Drink: 2027-2057. (Mar 2020)"

95 points Neal Martin (Vinous): "The 2017 Cos d’Estournel showed extremely well from barrel and likewise in bottle, continuing this estate’s strong run of form since the 2014 vintage. You instantaneously fall in love with the nose that bursts forth with blackberry, raspberry coulis, crushed stone, iodine and pressed iris petal. The 60% new oak is beautifully integrated. Quintessentially Cos d’Estournel. The palate is medium-bodied with supple black fruit laced with black truffle and graphite, quite Pauillac-like in style, which is no surprise given its location. This is very focused and perhaps understated compared to the 2016, yet its freshness and vivacity are undeniable. "Streamlined, cool and linear" I wrote at en primeur... I have no reason to alter that sentiment. Drink: 2025-2060. (Jan 2020)"

95 points Chris Kissack (Winedoctor): "Dominique Arangoïts and team have produced a blend featuring 66% Cabernet Sauvignon, with 32% Merlot and 1% each Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, taking about 50% of the crop. It was bottled in July 2019, after an élevage in oak barrels of which 60% were new, Dominique using less new oak today than the estate has done in the past. It looks promising in the glass, dark and more vibrant than some of its peers. The nose is all grilled dark cherry, with notes of smoke, cigar box and tobacco, as well as some youthful barrel spice, nicely integrated, along with hints of white pepper and black olive. More dark and brooding on the palate than I anticipated, more perfumed too though, with a broader confidence, although it still has that restrained, taut, tightly stretched midpalate that defines the vintage, with cool structural elements circling around the edges. Within there lie acid and mineral notes, and a firm but nicely buried core of tannins. Gripped, firm, peppery and tannic, this should evolve very nicely over the next decade or more. (Dec 2019)"

95 points La Revue du Vin de France: "2017 is in this vein, with straightforwardness and a fine balance that preserves the juiciness and freshness of the fruit. (2021)"

95 points Wine Enthusiast: "This impressive wine is structured yet well balanced by an attractive fruitiness that parallels the tannins and the smokiness from wood aging. The density of the palate is countered by fresh acidity that shines through. Drink 2024. Alcohol 13%. (Mar 2020)"