Cos d'Estournel 2003

The 2003 Cos d’Estournel revels in a vintage that shone in Saint-Estèphe. In some ways it is a prototype of the 2009 however, the 2003 feels more natural, more a product of the growing season than a premeditated crowd-pleaser like the 2009. It has that almost gregarious bouquet with plush raspberry ripple, vanilla pod, crème de cassis and pencil lead aromas. As I have noted previously, it has shed a lot of baby fat in recent years, less flamboyant than in its youth. What is so surprising is the delineation evident in this wine, something that it shares with the 2003 Montrose and a virtue denuded many other Left Bank 2003s, especially in the southern Médoc. Maybe at the moment the Montrose just has the edge but that should take nothing away from one of the best 2003s you will find. Tasted at the Cos d’Estournel vertical in London.

Score: 96

Neal Martin, Vinous.com Maturity: 2020-2050 01 October 2018

The 2003 Cos d’Estournel is a total knock out. Super-ripe and opulent from the outset, the 2003 is a big, ample Cos that takes over all the senses and never lets up. The bouquet alone – with its alluring notes of tobacco, cedar, spice, dark roasted fruits, leather and smoke – is stunning in its beauty. All of those nuances follow through on the palate, where the 2003 is thick, dense and concentrated. The 2003 is just beginning to enter the very early part of its optimal drinking window. Despite its very ripe feel, the 2003 needs further time in bottle to fully come together. Interestingly, the 2005 is quite a bit more expressive and rewarding to drink now. The 2003 is a superb Cos that captures the essence of this freakishly hot, record-setting vintage. Although the 2003 is the product of a very warm vintage, the wine was remarkably fresh, even two days after having been opened. In 2003 the blend is 70% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 2% Petit Verdot and 1% Cabernet Franc.

Score: 96

Antonio Galloni, Vinous.com Maturity: 2018-2033 01 December 2015

Gorgeous aromas of blackberry, spice and mineral. Full-bodied, with ultrafine tannins and a long, long finish. This is first-growth quality. Best after 2012. 15,000 cases made.

Score: 97

James Suckling, Wine Spectator Maturity: 2012+ 31 March 2006

The prodigious, fantastic 2003 Cos d’Estournel is a candidate for 'wine of the vintage.' A blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon (unusually high for this chateau), 30% Merlot, and 2% Cabernet Franc, 17,500 cases were produced from low yields. An inky/blue/purple color is accompanied by a compelling perfume of black fruits, subtle smoke, pain grille, incense, and flowers. With extraordinary richness, full body, and remarkable freshness, elegance, and persistence, this is one of the finest wines ever made by this estate. The good news is that it will be drinkable at a young age yet evolve for three decades or more. Kudos to winemaker Jean-Guillaume Prats and owner Michel Reybier.

Score: 98

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2006-2036 30 April 2006

Potentially the finest Cos d’Estournel I have ever tasted, this wine seems to have put on even more weight and gained strength even after its formidable performance nine months ago. Eighty percent new oak was used and the wine was aged on its lees until early summer of last year. A brilliant effort that is super-concentrated, yet also elegant and harmonious, the wine has an inky/purple color to the rim and a glorious nose of classic creme de cassis intermixed with some smoke, graphite, licorice, fig, and vanilla. Full-bodied, opulently textured, and incredibly concentrated, it has surprising freshness and definition for a wine of such intensity and richness. Jean-Guillaume Prats told me that the finished pH is only 3.6, which is lower than I would have suspected given the wine’s textural richness. Moreover, the alcohol is relatively high for a Bordeaux at 13.5% (compare that to the 13.1% of the 1990). The finish goes on for almost a minute as this is a truly profound wine that should take its place in the pantheon of great Bordeaux wines for many decades to come.

Score: 97 - 99

Robert Parker, Wine Advocate, RobertParker.com Maturity: 2009-2030+ 30 April 2005

Nuanced and rich and drying. Biscuity and fine but this is just a bit suppressed. Inky. Low key. Fades a bit on the finish.

Score: 17

Jancis Robinson MW, JancisRobinson.com Maturity: 2008-2018 13 October 2010

Saturated medium ruby. Expressive aromas of dark fruits, minerals, licorice, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate and sexy oak. Lush, full and rich; packed with flavor. Wonderfully silky, deep, chocolatey wine, but also lively and not at all heavy. Finishes very long, with suave tannins covered by fruit. Not especially oaky today, nor is the wine's 13.5% alcohol obvious. (As with Montrose, this estate's second wine, Pagodes de Cos, should be unusually dense and satisfying in 2003, and should offer very good value.)

Score: 92 - 95

Stephen Tanzer, Vinous.com 01 May 2004