Pagodes de Cos - Saint-Estephe Red 2021

Grape

Cabernet Sauvignon (58%), Merlot (34%), Cabernet Franc (4%) and Petit Verdot (4%).

Tasting notes

The 2021 Les Pagodes de Cos is a fresh, vibrant, classically balanced Saint-Estèphe second wine, blending roughly 60% Merlot and 36% Cabernet Sauvignon (with small amounts of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot), offering bright dark fruit, lively acidity, and a refined, structured finish.

The blend is 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, at roughly 13% to 14% ABV. The nose shows fresh blackcurrants, crushed blackberries, red cherries, and plums, mixed with hints of tobacco, cedar, clove, and dark chocolate. On the palate it's medium-bodied with juicy dark and blue fruits, vibrant freshness, fine-grained and velvety tannins, and background notes of espresso and spice. The finish is long, clean, and refreshing, with a subtle savory or mineral touch.

About the Winery

The history of Château Cos d’Estournel begins in 1811 when its owner Louis Gaspard Lacoste of Maniban Marquis d’Estournel, having inherited some vineyards near the village of Cos, decided to vinify them separately. The wine of Cos d’Estournel was born. Very quickly, the wine surpasses the most prestigious wines and is exported to India. In 1855, Cos d’Estournel acceded to the classification of 1855 as second classified growth.

In all, five owners were at the head of Cos d’Estournel. The last one was Michel Reybier, who bought the Château in 2000 and undertook many changes including a brand new barrel cellar but above all, a 100% gravity winemaking cellar: a real innovation in the region.

As the second wine of this storied Saint-Estèphe estate, Pagodes de Cos is made from younger vines and parcels not selected for the grand vin, but with the same meticulous, gravity-led winemaking that has defined Cos d’Estournel since Reybier's acquisition. It offers an accessible, earlier-drinking introduction to the pagoda-topped château's distinctive, spice-laden style.