Château Cos d'Estournel Saint-Estèphe Grand Cru 2015

Cos d'Estournel is one of the most singular estates in all of Bordeaux, immediately recognizable for its pagoda-topped, oriental-influenced façade sitting at the northern tip of Saint-Estèphe, separated from First Growth Château Lafite by little more than a small stream. The name "Cos" comes from the Gascon dialect for "hill of pebbles," and the estate's 70-hectare vineyard was first assembled by Louis Gaspard d'Estournel in the early 19th century, a man so devoted to the quality of his wine that he shipped it to India and back simply to benefit from the aging effect of the voyage. Michel Reybier purchased the estate in 2000 and initiated a transformative era of quality, with technical director Dominique Arangoïts overseeing a gravity-flow cellar and meticulous plot-by-plot vinification from 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 38% Merlot, and small amounts of Cabernet Franc. The 2015 is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23.5% Merlot, and 1.5% Cabernet Franc, and Cos itself describes it as the purest expression of their terroir: remarkably precise and distinguished by a radiant brilliance, combining intense yet supple spice with refined aromatic complexity. James Suckling awarded it 98 points, Wine Advocate 95+, and Vinous 94, with the estate's own notes calling it noble, voluptuous, and unmistakably Cos. The 2015 Cos d'Estournel is entering a beautiful drinking window right now and has decades of evolution ahead. The price here is exceptional for a wine of this pedigree. Don't miss it.