- CRITICAL REVIEWS
- WINEMAKER NOTES
RP
93
Robert Parker Wine Advocate
Harvest finished this year on September 25. The 2003 Cos d'Estournel is a blend of 68% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 2% Cabernet Franc. It has a deep garnet-brick color and quite an herbal nose with notions of dried Mediterranean herbs and roasted meats over a core of crème de cassis, stewed plums and unsmoked cigars plus a touch of new leather. Full, rich, concentrated and decadent in the mouth, the palate, though medium-bodied, packs a wallop of fruit with plenty of earthy/savory accents and an herbal lift to the finish. Reviewed by Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Issue date: November 30, 2018. Drinking window: 2018 - 2030.
V
96
Vinous
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. Reviewed by Neal Martin, Issue date: March 2018. Drinking window: 2020 - 2050.
2003 Chateau Cos d'Estournel, Saint-Estephe, France
CABERNET SAUVIGNON : 70%
MERLOT : 27%
CABERNET FRANC : 1%
PETIT VERDOT : 2%
Despite the oppressive heat during the harvest, berries were able to maintain a great freshness, while providing an exceptional richness. This perfect balance between liveliness and precision of the fruit signify a wine that beautifully stands out. Its flamboyant nose, its fresh and warm finale both impress, as much as fabulous persistence of its aromas that reveal themselves in crescendo.
98/100 – JAMES SUCKLING
96/100 – VINOUS (ANTONIO GALLONI)