The 2014 wines from Cos d’Estournel and the Haut Brion stable are offered this morning.
Cos d’Estournel’s elaborate facade
The whites, both Mission Haut Brion blanc聽 and Chateau Haut-Brion blanc, are available in only tiny quantities and are exceptionally good this year – so there is an argument that if you really want to get hold of these, the time is now. However, you can聽still聽buy any vintage from before 2009 for less.
Chateau Haut Brion (Red) is a fabulous wine, but with older vintages available for very little more it begs the question we were asked this morning “Which major name is going to make their 2014 truly compelling?” Much the same can be said of聽 La Mission, and the Clarence (the newish name for the Haut Brion second wine) has never really gained traction in this market, but may have demand in others.
Cos d’Estournel聽has made truly great wines in 2014. 聽At 拢825/12 for the Grand Vin – only the 2009 & 2010 are more expensive – if this聽was to go straight on to a shop shelf – it would聽be priced at about 拢160 per bottle. This is a price to make most of our customers wince, so it seems to be priced at its retail price now, when realistically someone is going to keep it twenty years.聽 The COS D’ESTOURNEL Blanc聽(拢250/6), does deserve mention for its聽sheer brilliance this year – but again this comes at a fullish price, it is the most expensive vintage on the market – and although it is probably their best to date.
The ‘lesser’ wines from these great estates do offer good drinking and are worth considering as the prices seem fair. 聽It is a super PAGODES DE COS聽(拢260/12) and the聽DRAGON DE QUINTUS聽(拢170/12) from the Haut Brion team showed well when tasted in Bordeaux, even聽in the company of their stable-mates.
There are a couple of other releases today worth mentioning –聽2014 CH脗TEAU FAUG脠RES at 拢210 should not disappoint followers and聽2014 CH脗TEAU LAB脡GORCE聽 Margaux at 拢155/12 was very聽well noted by Neal Martin in The Wine Advocate – we like what they are doing here.