1995 Cos d'Estournel
By Chateau Cos d'Estournel
The 1995 Cos d'Estournel from Chateau Cos d'Estournel, St-Estephe, Bordeaux
In the pantheon of majestic Bordeaux vintages, the 1995 Cos d'Estournel from Chateau Cos d'Estournel remains a beacon of the St-Estephe appellation's potential for crafting deeply complex, age-worthy wines. Entrancing enthusiasts and investors alike, this vintage is a hallmark of the transformative powers of time on great terroir.
A Vintage Inscribed by Weather and Wisdom
The growing season of 1995 was marked by contrasts—early frost gave way to an exceedingly hot summer with optimal growing conditions that turned cooler just in time for harvest. It's this climatic dance that gifted the 1995 Cos d'Estournel its remarkable balance and structure. The vigilant winemakers at Chateau Cos d'Estournel harnessed these varying elements, translating them into a wine that speaks volubly of its origin, vintage, and the deftness of human touch.
Poetry in a Bottle: The 1995 Cos d'Estournel Experience
Swirling in the glass, this exquisite wine exudes rich aromatics of cassis, tobacco and truffles, entwined with an earthy minerality - a tapestry woven from the quintessential St-Estephe terroir. On the palate, it reveals its full prowess with layers of dark fruit supported by firm yet silken tannins that echo tales of longevity and resilience. Indeed, this vintage encapsulates not merely a drinking experience but rather a sensory chronicle of a year preserved artfully in bottle.
For connoisseurs looking to expand their portfolio, the investment worthiness of the 1995 Cos d'Estournel cannot be overstated. Its maturation trajectory promises further unfolding of complexities and its pedigree assures its place in any discerning collection.
In summary, the 1995 Cos d'Estournel from Chateau Cos d'Estournel presents investors with an opportunity akin to acquiring a masterpiece for one's private gallery. As it continues its journey in bottle—the promise it holds for those patient enough to wait is nothing short of extraordinary. To indulge in such a wine is to partake in a narrative etched into every sip – a testament to nature's bounty skilfully captured by human hands.
Market price (GBP)
£1,890.00
12x75cl
Highest score
95
POP score
126
Scores and tasting notes
A wine of extraordinary intensity and accessibility, the 1995 Cos d'Estournel is a sexier, more hedonistic offering than the muscular, backward 1996. Opulent, with forward aromatics (gobs of black fruits intermixed with toasty pain grille scents and a boatload of spice), this terrific Cos possesses remarkable intensity, full body, and layers of jammy fruit nicely framed by the wine's new oak. Because of low acidity and sweet tannin, the 1995 will be difficult to resist young, although it will age for 2-3 decades. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2025. Both the 1995 and 1996 vintages of Cos d'Estournel were even more impressive in late 1997 than earlier in the spring.
Robert Parker Jr - The Wine Advocate, 22 February 1998
Tasted from a double-magnum at dinner at the chateau in 1999, it was another immensely backward, masculine wine. Then at the Farr horizontal, it had failed to develop as I would like. The nose is more subdued than last time, very oakey and broody. The palate still has excessive new oak (100% in fact) and is very fleshy with super-ripe raspberry and strawberry. It is enjoyable but lacks typicity. I actually prefer the 1994 to the 1995. Tasted September 2005.
Neal Martin - Wine Advocate - Wine Journal