Les Pagodes de Cos 2018

Les Pagodes de Cos, Saint Estephe, Bordeaux, France, 2018   

Grapes: 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Franc

This is sleek along the edges and dense in the middle, with ample crushed cherry, red currant and melted red liquorice notes. A bright floral edge chimes in on the long finish. An impressive "second" wine from Cos d'Estournel.

The chateau says that its Pagodes de Cos 2018 combines a nose of eucalyptus and spices with magnificent aromas of juicy red and black berries and wonderful fullness. Silky tannins find lovely balance against the vintage’s great freshness. Pagodes de Cos continues to enchant us from one year to the next with its outstanding qualities and the discreetly seductive, refined 2018 vintage is no exception.

"Dark core with purple rim. Sweeter and spicier than the Goulée (Cos's Médoc wine) just tasted. Bramble and mulberry fragrance. Excellent freshness and finesse in the tannins, dry, compact but lifted by the scented fruit and unusual brightness. Powerful and chalky on the finish. Very good balance already. Long and classy. (JH)" - Barrel Sample

17/20 points, Julia Harding MW, JancisRobinson.com, April 2019

"The 2018 Les Pagodes de Cos (14.51% alcohol) is a blend of 54% Cabernet Sauvignon, 37% Merlot, 6% Petit Verdot and 3% Cabernet Franc, aging in 20% new barriques. Deep garnet-purple in color, it bursts from the glass with bold notions of Morello cherries, blackcurrant pastilles, plum preserves and spice cake with suggestions of pencil shavings and bouquet garni. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is jam-packed with spicy black fruits, framed by velvety tannins and seamless freshness, finishing on a lingering savory note."

93+/100 points, Lisa Perrotti-Brown, Wine Advocate, March 2021

Also rated 95/100 points by James Suckling