CHÂTEAU COS D'ESTOURNEL
2022 2ème Cru Classé Saint Estèphe
61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 50% new oak. 14.04% alc. 33 hl/ha. 3.79 pH. 90 IPT. 33 hl/ha Harvest took place between 7 – 23 September I tasted the Cos portfolio of wines with owner Michel Reybier and winemaker Dominique Arangoïts. As this was right at the beginning of my week of tasting, they were kind enough to elaborate on the critical points of the vintage from their point of view and position on the Left Bank. They reported that May was unseasonably warm and that three heatwaves followed in June (14th – 18th ), July (9th – 18th) and August (2nd – 13th). However, thanks to their setting close to the Gironde and the Atlantic, the nights were mercifully cool (15/16C) at Cos, and sea breezes helped to refresh the vines, keeping them going throughout the dry and warm summer. Harvest started on the 7th of September, making it the earliest since 1989, and this vintage was, according to Dominique, even hotter than both 1947 and 1949. With this in mind, it would also suggest that the finest 2022s will last a long time. So with the scene set, it was incredible to taste this wine and discover just how bright and clean it feels despite the density of the extraordinary fruit and the scale of the majestic tannins. While this is a closed and firm wine, there is exquisite control here, and a stunning perfume and prodigious finish bookend a magnificent mid-palate. The famous Cos minerality brings gravitas and flair to the whole, making this black-fruit-soaked wine seem momentarily weightless and aerial. The future is blindingly bright for 2022 Cos, and I imagine some will dip into this wine early because the fruit flavours are so unutterably hedonistic. Rating: 19+ Matthew Jukes www.matthewjukes.com (May 2023)
* 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 admirable series of fine wines continues at Cos, this time with a sumptuous wine that shows great distinction. Solid from the entry onwards, it then shows a firework display of very fresh flavours of fruit and spice. A solid tannic backbone integrates well and produces plenty of length. Rating: 97-99 La Revue du Vin de France (May 2023)
The blend is 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot and 1% each Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, the latter making a less common appearance in the blend of the grand vin. It accounts for 66% of the crop. It starts off dark and smoky, with a sweet vein of blackberry, liquorice, sweet black bean, currant and violet. The palate shows a tightly delineated concentration of fruit, filled with a powdery network of finely knit tannins, with a delicately peppery sense of energy. The tannic grip slowly builds, producing a rich structural frame of toasted tannins, with a fresh grip into the length, very firm and granular, but not overly drying. It has length too. This is a very attractive interpretation of the vintage. The alcohol is 14.05% this year. Rating: 96-98 Chris Kissack, www.thewinedoctor.com (May 2023)
61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 1% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. 66% of the production. Cask sample. Deep purple-black hue. Firm, structured with huge reserve. Layers of dark fruit and a massive tannic frame. Almost like it’s been hewn from stone. Tannins polished, though, providing enormous length. Not for the faint-hearted. Will need patience. (JL) 14% Drinking range: 2034 - 2055 Rating: 18 James Lawther MW, www.JancisRobinson.com (May 2023)
Unique structure to this wine and very Cos with all the spices and dark fruits. Tobacco and cedar. It's starts off full-bodied and flavorful, but continues to unfold in an energetic and weightless way. Savory and primary. Al dente grapes here. Exciting and thought-provoking. Rating: 98-99 James Suckling, www.jamessuckling.com (May 2023)
The 2022 Cos d'Estournel unwinds in the glass with aromas of sweet berries, plum liqueur and rich spices, followed by a full-bodied, broad-shouldered and muscular palate that's rich and structured, with a ripe core of fruit and chewy tannins. Harvest dates were relatively early this year, and maturation is occurring in only 50% new oak; yet the 2022's chunky, glass-staining style makes it Ducru Beaucaillou's only rival for the title of most extracted second growth of the Médoc. Rating: 93-95 William Kelley, The Wine Advocate (Apr 2023)
Inky colour with violet edging, this is full of intense damson, incense, baked plum and black chocolate. A huge quantity of tannins but the texture is velvety, giving a creamy edge to the fruits, with contrast and freshness provided by orange zest and slate. Some of the old Merlot vines on gravel were picked early to tame them but generally the vineyard took the vintage in its stride, and almost 75% of production is in the 1st wine. Harvest September 7 to 23, 33hl/h yield, 90IPT, 50% new oak. Potential upscore in bottle. Drinking range: 2032 - 2048 Rating: 97 Jane Anson, www.janeanson.com (Apr 2023)
Château Cos d'Estournel
Please make sure that you have read the terms of this offer which are different from those on the main website. If you are unclear as to what is involved in primeur purchases please do contact our private client team via email or on 020 7018 0187.
Ordering
Prices are all in bond by the case size stated.
Pre-Orders are a firm commitment to buy wines on release, as long as the release price is within the upper and lower price bands set by you on the pre-order form. Pre-orders will be fulfilled subject to availability but providing this firm commitment to buy effectively gives you priority and is a good idea for the most desirable wines.
Wines listed on the website can be ordered in the usual way via the website wishlist order form. You can also send orders directly to our private client team via email. Please note that, for the most sought-after wines, priority will be given to those who ordered the same wines last year and to those that have pre-ordered.
Confirmation
All orders will be confirmed by email and are binding unless written cancellation is received within seven days of email confirmation. Pre-orders are not binding if the release price is above your upper price band.
Invoices are all raised at the in bond price (excluding any duty and VAT) which will become payable at the prevailing rates when the wines arrive in the UK, should you wish to take duty paid delivery.
Payment is required on sight of invoice, by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We regret we cannot accept credit cards for en primeur orders. We reserve the right to apply a dunning charge of 2% per month on invoices unpaid after 30 days.
Delivery
- Shipment to our bond (at 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 £500. Orders below this total will be charged an administration and handling fee of £16.50+ VAT when invoices are issued. We will group deliveries and this is a charge for your entire purchases, not a per-case charge.
- Delivery of 2024 Bordeaux bought en primeur is expected during 2026. Delivery dates may vary as wines are shipped from Bordeaux at different times.
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). Immediate payment of invoices is then required by cash, cheque, debit card or bank transfer. We and our customers find that having a single invoice for the vintage is the simpler option but please note that confirmed orders are still binding even if the final invoice has not yet been issued.
Please specify on your wishlist order form where you would like the wines shipped on arrival in the UK. If this is to a third-party bonded warehouse, please specify the relevant account details. If the wines are required duty-paid we will issue a second invoice for duty and VAT at the prevailing rate when the wines are available for delivery.
Half-bottles, Magnums and larger bottles.
One of the additional advantages of buying en primeur is being able to order the wine in the format you want. While most of our listings are for 75cl bottles, we can source wines in any format that is offered by the Château. Please note that format requests cannot be changed once wines have been invoiced. Additional charges for special formats do apply and are as follows:-
- +£18.00 per case of 12 half-bottles
- +£30.00 per case of 24 half-bottles
- +£7.50 per case of 3 Magnums (2 bottles equivalent, 1.5 litres each)
- +£11.00 per case of 6 Magnums
- +£45.00 per individually boxed Double Magnum (4 bottles equivalent, 3 litres)
- +£60.00 per individually boxed Imperial (8 bottles equivalent, 6 litres) for Salmanazars, Balthazars, Nebuchadnezzars and Melchiors please enquire for availability and price.
Storage Options:
Wines bought en primeur won't arrive in the UK until 2026. If you do not wish to take home delivery at that point, you may wish to consider where you would like the wines shipped. Lea & Sandeman offers duty paid and in bond storage through a dedicated storage company called Elephant Storage. For more details on the terms and fees associated with storage please go to our Storage Homepage or contact our private client team for more information.