COS D'ESTOURNEL

2014 Blanc Château Cos d'Estournel

EN PRIMEUR

Charming MD Aymeric de Gironde politely said this is the best white they have ever made here - and it is hard to argue. Usually harvested 3 weeks ahead of the red grapes - they actually picked the grapes just 2 days before the reds this year. The extra time on the vines has just built the weight of the wine - intense and with a lovely feel - there is huge minerality and a lovely chalky feel - but great, bright acidity like in 2012 - but with the feel of 2010 - super combination. 65% Sauvignon, 35% Semillon. Rating: 94 L&S (Apr 2015)

* This is a pre-shipment/primeur offer. All orders are accepted under the TERMS of this offer which differ from the terms of the rest of the site.

The Château Cos d'Estournel Blanc 2014 is a blend of 66% Sauvignon Blanc and 34% Sémillon that was picked between 22 September and 9 October at 29.3 hectoliters per hectare. It is matured in around 15% new wood. It has a clean and fresh, quite "minimalist" bouquet with the Granny Smith apples and granitic scents, but all low-key compared to previous vintages. The palate is fresh on the entry, the Sauvignon Blanc delivering fresh green apple and nectarine notes, a citric thread of acidity and plenty of energy towards the saline finish. It is a delightful Cos d'Estournel Blanc that should drink immediately from bottle, yet should mature for several years if you so wish. Drinking range: 2016 - 2024 Rating: 90-92 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2015)

Very good blend of 66% Sauvignon and 30% Semillon. Strikingly good - the best Blanc de Cos so far. (Highly Recommended St-Estèphe, Decanter.) Drinking range: 2016 - 2022 Rating: 90+ Steven Spurrier (Apr 2015)

Floral, blossomy nose. Bright fresh fruit and sufficient lime-juice pungency on the palate. Racy and floral. Good weight. Emphatic. Neat. A little alcohol on the end. Drinking range: 2019 - 2027 Rating: 17- Jancis Robinson OBE MW - www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2015)

Sauvignon Blanc 66% Sémillon 34% Very fresh the palate has gooseberry crispness a racy fresh start. Melon and tropical fruits give sweetness in the middle the sweetness balanced by citrus the finish long fragrant fresh fruited racy. Drinking range: 2016 - 2025 Rating: 90-93 Derek Smedley MW, www.dereksmedleymw.co.uk (Apr 2015)

This is the tenth vintage of Cos' white wine and it's a delight. Sourced from a cool site close to the top of Médoc, it's waxy, aromatic and saline with subtle new oak and a creamy mid palate. White flowers, spice and a hint of pineapple add some flesh to the minerally structure. As good as many Pessacs. (One of Tim's Top 10 Dry Whites.) Drinking range: 2015 - 2022 Rating: 95 Tim Atkin MW, www.timatkin.com (Apr 2015)

This is very dense and beautiful with great intensity and length. Loads of sliced pears and apples as well as a creamy texture. Lots of apricots and salty notes. Iodine-like. Goes on for minutes. 66% sauvignon blanc and 24% sémillon. 8,000 bottles made. Rating: 96-97 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (Mar 2015)

Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those of the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do call us, but see the 'practical notes' below.

Ordering

Prices are per case as listed 'in bond London'.

Pre-Orders are a firm commitment from you to buy the wines you order on release, subject to the price being below the upper price of the estimated band on our website. You may also set your own upper price limit, lower or higher than ours. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability. Providing this firm commitment to us effectively gives you priority.

Wines listed on the website (after any pre-orders and allocations have been fulfilled) can be ordered in the usual way via the website order form or by email or telephone 020 7221 1982, always subject to stock remaining.

Confirmation

All orders will be confirmed by email and are contractually binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of the confirmation date, apart from pre-orders which are binding if the release price is below the top estimate or other price you have set.

Invoices are raised at the In Bond price, excluding any duty and VAT which will become payable at the prevailing rates on arrival of the wine if required duty paid.

Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or credit transfer. We reserve the right to charge 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.

Delivery

  • Shipment to our bond (LCB Creek Road) and insurance are included in the in bond price.
  • Delivery is free to Lea and Sandeman / Elephant storage accounts, both duty paid and in bond.
  • Other deliveries (In Bond and Duty Paid) are also free subject to a minimum order from the offer of £1000, orders below this total will be charged £16.50+ VAT when the wine invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
  • Delivery for 2016 Bordeaux primeurs will probably be completed by October 2019, but we make no guarantee as to specific delivery times, and some of the Sauternes may be later.

Practical notes - how it works

We start a sale in each customer's name and add all their primeur orders to one sale which is invoiced at the end of the campaign (or when the customer wishes) for immediate payment. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option, but do please note that confirmed orders are still binding as above even if the final invoice has not been issued.

When the wine is shipped, unless previously specified we will assume that delivery is to be to bonded storage with Elephant Storage, but in any case, we will contact you requesting any alternative instructions. If you have another bonded delivery address you would like the wine to go to, please tell us at the time of ordering. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue invoices at the rates prevailing at the time for the excise duty (currently £25.98 per case) and the VAT (currently at 20%) on the total of the wine cost and the duty.

Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.

One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the bottle size you want. Even if a wine is only listed in one size, you can order any bottle or case size you want if the property supplies it, but you must order the case/bottle size you require and check that the correct size has been invoiced.

Additional charges are as follows:-

  • +£15 per case of 24 half-bottles
  • +£15 per case of 6 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
  • +£35 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
  • +£45 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.