Cellar Favorite: 2009 & 2010 Cos d’Estournel

BY NEAL MARTIN | FEBRUARY 3, 2025

The 2009 and 2010 Cos d'Estournel were among the vintages poured at the Vinous Icons Miami event in November 2024. They provide an enlightening contrast between two stylistically different vintages. The 2009 is a Saint-Estèphe lauded in some quarters upon release, anointed with perfect scores, albeit not from myself. From my introduction in barrel with then estate manager, Jean-Guillaume Prats, the 2009 felt over-endowed, a wine predesigned to flutter its lashes during en primeur, one that equated sheer power with quality. I last drank this vintage six years ago. It remains decadent and ostentatious on the nose, rich and almost over-generous with crème de cassis and iodine scents. It comes across more Napa than Bordeaux, and contentiously, perhaps that was the intention? Likewise, the palate is decked out with lush and slightly overripe black fruit, relatively low acidity and plenty of weight but not much in the way of finesse. Admittedly, I don't find the wine unenjoyable, and my score should reflect that. You have to admire its hedonism, and if that’s your bag, you’ll love it. But the 2009 harks back to a period when even some of the Médoc’s grandest châteaux seemed to follow a recipe, when more was always more. 91/Drink 2025-2040

The 2010 Cos d'Estournel, which winemaker Dominique Arangoïts poured from magnum, is cut from a different cloth to the previous vintage. This is much fresher on the nose and crucially displays more typicité, yet it delivers just as much punch as the 2009. Black fruit commingles with melted tar and smoke. A sprig of wild mint surfaces with continued aeration. The palate possesses immense gravitas and dimension, analogous to a magnificent suspension bridge. It is less ostentatious than the 2009, with firmer grip and greater control and sapidity on the finish. Whilst I can understand some might prefer the 2009, the 2010 Cos d'Estournel is just more...Cos d'Estournel, though be warned, it would still benefit from a couple more years in bottle. Magnificent. 97/Drink 2027-2055

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