PAGODES DE COS

The 2020 Les Pagodes de Cos has a well-defined, almost Graves-like bouquet of a mélange of red and black fruit: punnets of freshly picked strawberries and raspberried, and blackberries following later. The palate is medium-bodied with very supple tannins. This Les Pagodes has a smooth veneer, just a faint wisp of dark chocolate and espresso infusing the predominantly red fruit. A second wine that will probably drink well after one or two years in bottle. Drinking range: 2023 - 2030 Rating: 89-91 Neal Martin, www.vinous.com (May 2021)

58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot 30% new oak 13.28% alc 39 hl/ha 68 IPT I am rather impressed with Pagodes in 2020 given that it seems like it is, in almost every way imaginable, a scaled-down version of its parent wine. I know that the traditional sense of a second wine is precisely this, but in the modern era of Bordeaux many, if not all, second wines are very different creatures indeed, having purposefully different characters and fulfilling very different roles within their respective portfolios. Pagodes has never seemingly strayed too far from the arms of Cos d’Estournel – it is not safe out there in the wild world and why would any wine want to go it alone if you had Cos as your parent? In 2020, it seems that Pagodes is inextricably entwined in the arms of its family. Of course, this is a tender, refreshing and enthusiastic wine with a forward air and pliable fruit tones. There is the trademark 2020 freshness on the finish, bringing a snap of acidity to add a ‘full stop’ to the end of this wine’s sentence. But there are also genuine Cos traits here with luxurious hints of oak and occasional profound black fruit puddles which you can jump into or step over. This is a lighter, more compact fellow but it is every bit as expressive as legions of ‘first wines’ in this vintage and for that reason, I hope that you manage to taste this wine one day. Wine writers use the prefix ‘mini-’ far too often and rather sloppily if you ask me, but in 2020, Pagodes is, genuinely, a mini-Cos. Rating: 17.5 Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2021)

The second wine of the château, the 2020 Pagodes De Cos is based on 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and the balance equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all raised in 30% new barrels. It shows the pure, elegant, concentrated style of the vintage with its fresher dark fruits, graphite, tobacco, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, with beautiful mid-palate concentration, this classic, elegant, focused 2020 is very much in the style of the vintage and will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 20 years or so. Rating: 91-93 Jeb Dunnuck, www.jebdunnuck.com (May 2021)

The 2020 Les Pagodes de Cos is composed of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The harvest took place September 10–24 with a yield of 39 hectoliters per hectare. The alcohol weighs in at 13.28% with a pH of 3.85 and an IPT (total phenolic index) of 68. It is being aged in French oak barrels, 30% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it sashays out of the glass with pretty, open-knit scents of stewed black plums, boysenberries and warm cassis, plus savory hints of charcuterie, woodsmoke, black truffles and bouquet garni. Medium-bodied, the palate is packed with crunchy black fruit flavors and dried herbs accents, supported by bags of freshness and well-managed, grainy tannins, finishing with great length and a lively skip in its step. Drinking range: 2024 - 2039 Rating: 91-93 Lisa Perrotti-Brown, RobertParker.com (May 2021)

Maintains both a spiced kick and creamy texture through the palate, giving form and character. Silky texture, with cinnamon and saffron-laden blackberry fruits. This is precise and confident with sweet and tender tannins, the power is almost hidden at this point but it is there. 38% of overall production. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend. Drinking range: 2024 - 2038 Rating: 92 Jane Anson, Decanter (May 2021)

58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Structured and fresh with present but unaggressive tannins. Fruit bright and lifted. Upright and classic in its demeanour and clearly with ageing potential. Drinking range: 2027 - 2040 Rating: 17 James Lawther MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (Apr 2021)

Since its creation in 1994, Pagodes de Cos has always been crafted from the grapes of vines that grow on the same clearly defined terroir; they are 40 years old on average.
A seductive, balanced, voluptuous wine, the 2020 vintage continues to embody the personality of Pagodes de Cos and is an excellent introduction to the singular style of Cos d’Estournel.
Particularly smooth, Pagodes de Cos 2020 is both delicate and fresh, an elegant, highly delectable wine with seductive notes of blackcurrant, blackberry, blueberry, violet, blackcurrant liqueur and tea. Winemaker's notes (Apr 2021)