Focus on: Cos d’Estournel 2009

by Wine Owners

Posted on 2019-02-12

Cos d’Estournel 2009

Robert Parker: 100

Lisa Perrotti-Brown: 100

Neal Martin: 91

Jancis Robinson: 16.5,17,17.5

Price: £2,400 per 12

The crux of the matter here appears to be the U.S. of A. versus the U. of K. Big Bob wades in with the magic three digits (100 points) whilst Mr. Martin offers a much more modest 91 points. Our very own Mr. Martin’s words on this wine are not fit to publish. L. P-B. doffs her cap to her superior with another magic number whilst Jancis sways in a middle sort of division, yet she correctly describes it as famously controversial. So, it’s fair to say: the jury is out!

The early intelligence (thanks go to Bordeaux Index) and the biggest story from their last week’s ten years on tasting is that Cos was the big disappointment (Chateau Margaux was the star performer). Looking at the chart below there appears to be a huge amount more potential downside than upside, the ’09 being more expensive than anything in its peer group and what is the score?? Everyone seems to like the ’16, especially Mr. Martin, not best known and normally associated with magic numbers but attributing it to this vintage with gusto! Likewise, the ’10, not perfection but very highly rated. Both trading at close to £1,700 per 12- without the controversy.

The 2009 price has substantially underperformed the Wine Owners Bordeaux Index, perhaps because it has always split the camps:

Tasting notes:

RP: One of the greatest young wines I have ever tasted, the monumental 2009 Cos d’Estournel has lived up to its pre-bottling potential. The wine hits the palate with extraordinary purity, balance and intensity as well as perfect equilibrium, and a seamless integration of tannin, acidity, wood and alcohol. An iconic wine as well as a remarkable achievement, it is the greatest Cos d’Estournel ever produced.

LP-B: Wow—the full-bodied palate bursts with powerful, hedonic black fruit preserves and spices, completely coating the mouth with decadent fruits that are perfectly framed by very firm yet very ripe, grainy tannins and bold freshness, finishing with a veritable firework display of floral, spice and red fruit notes. Just stunning.

NM: It is glossy, dare I say almost “slutty”. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy tannins on the entry. There is good weight and volume to this wine, the Merlot more expressive than elsewhere with a lovely rich, decadent, weighty finish that is a hedonistic treat, but chooses not to translate the terroir of this great property. I prefer the 2010!

JR (a selection gleaned from 3 different notes): A youthful wine still dominated by tannins. First-growth structure. Bone dry. Classic-issimo. Went downhill in the glass however. Exotic but overdone. Alcohol intrudes. Awkward tasting experience. The tannins stick out. This continues to be a difficult wine. Famously controversial wine, one of the latest picked. Hugely ripe on the nose with a streak of very astringent dryness on the end. Scrubbing brush effect. A very extreme wine that strikes me as pretty brutal at the moment. Doesn't follow through; just stops on the palate rather than delivering any lingering finish. But it may all come together eventually...?

Recommendation: Sell ’09 and switch into the far less controversial vintages ’00, ’05, ’10 or ’16.

Relative value chart with other highly rated vintages of Cos d’Estournel:

Around 9am on Friday 2nd March 2012 my inbox lit up with wave after wave of 2009 Bordeaux offers from wine merchants. (Congratulations to Flint Wines for refreshingly focusing on an up-and-coming Burgundian grower.) In the weeks leading up to last Friday, merchants had taken the opportunity to inform private customers that RP's new scores were imminent, and that now was a good time to pick over market prices, many of which had fallen from their release price and 2011 highs.

I'd already done all my 2009 'business' during 2010/11 so stood by and watched. Parker duly came out with his new 2009 scores and a glowing recommendation - like 1982 (on which he made his reputation) but better thanks to advances in wine making, a return to traditional vineyard husbandry, and greater de-classification of parcels into second and third wines (in fairness common arguments trotted out regularly by the regisseurs and chateau owners in Bordeaux). What surprised everyone was how many high points he awarded his favourite wines - 18 wines getting 100 points; in comparison to just 6 wines in each of the two great vintages of 2000 and 1982.

Here are the final 100 pointers thanks to Ditton Wine Traders

wine	bottle	barrel
Beausejour Duffau Lagarosse	100	96-98
Bellevue Mondot	100	95-100
Clinet	100	97-100
Clos Fourtet	100	95-98
Cos d'Estournel	100	98-100
Ducru Beaucaillou	100	96-98
L'Evangile	100	96-100
Haut Brion	100	96-100
La Mission Haut Brion	100	98-100
La Mondotte	100	95-98
Latour	100	98-100
Le Pin	100	95-98
Leoville Poyferre	100	97-100
Montrose	100	96-100
Pavie	100	96-100
Petrus	100	96-100
Pontet Canet	100	97-100
Smith Haut Lafitte	100	96-98

And Friday's price increases vs the previous day's prices ranked from high to low

Wine	prior	after	% change
Beausejour Duffau Lagarosse	£1,000	£2,400	140%
Clos Fourtet	£750	£1,800	140%
Smith Haut Lafitte	£680	£1,600	135%
Clinet	£1,500	£2,200	47%
Le Pin	£18,000	£25,000	39%
Montrose	£1,900	£2,550	34%
Leoville Poyferre	£1,350	£1,800	33%
Pontet Canet	£1,350	£1,800	33%
L'Evangile	£2,300	£2,750	20%
La Mondotte	£2,550	£3,000	18%
Petrus	£25,000	£29,000	16%
Cos d'Estournel	£2,800	£3,200	14%
Pavie	£2,200	£2,500	14%
Ducru Beaucaillou	£2,000	£2,200	10%
Haut Brion	£7,400	£8,000	8%
Bellevue Mondotte	£2,550	£2,750	8%
La Mission Haut Brion	£5,600	£6,000	7%
Latour	£11,700	£11,800	1%

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