Winemaker Notes
Unique in character, Cos d’Estournel Blanc evokes the coolness of sea spray and salty sea winds whipping one’s face while also conjuring the warmth and richness of the land. A generous, lively wine, it brings to mind a slice of bread spread thickly with quince jam, a sun-drenched stall of autumn fruit or sudden recollections of the sweetest summer moments.
Blend: 74% Sauvignon Blanc, 26% Sémillon
Professional Ratings
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James Suckling
Pretty and rich white peach, pear and apple aromas and flavors. Full-bodied with plenty of fruit and bright acidity. Chalky and stony. Happy to watch.
Barrel Sample: 96-97 -
Decanter
Green apple, grass, soft floral touches, some orange zest and fresh pineapple. Electric and thrilling, this is sharp, agile, sweet, tangy and salty - a gorgeous combination of fresh citrus fruits and peach flesh with flint and wet stone edges. Lovely direction and focus and still such depth on the mid palate which some are lacking. Has appealing orange, lemon, peach, pear, apple fruit, juicy friendliness and yet this has persistence from start to finish that is so captivating and electric. Round, deep, sensual, rich and opulent but not heavy, retains its firm structure but with a delicious lemony sugary brightness that just lifts the palate and keeps the attention. A brilliant white wine, just so enjoyable from the moment it touches the palate, widening, expanding, deepening and delighting.
Barrel Sample: 96 -
Jeb Dunnuck
The Grand Vin 2022 Château Cos D'Estournel Blanc is similarly light gold-hued and is based on 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Semillon. Lots of pear, white flowers, crushed citrus, and subtle salty nuances all shine here, and it's medium to full-bodied, rich, and layered, with a great finish. It's cut from the same cloth as the Pagodes yet brings a touch more precision, vibrancy, and length.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Sémillon, the 2022 Cos d'Estournel Blanc wafts from the glass with aromas of spices, ripe orchard fruits, boxwood and herbs. Medium to full-bodied, concentrated and layered, it's framed by delicate dry extracts and a phenolic, elegant bitterness enhanced by oaky notes, culminating in a long, saline and ethereal finish.
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
Deeply colored, concentrated, and distinctive, St. Estephe is the go-to for great, age-worthy and reliable Bordeaux reds. Separated from Pauillac merely by a stream, St. Estephe is the farthest northwest of the highest classed villages of the Haut Medoc and is therefore subject to the most intense maritime influence of the Atlantic.
St. Estephe soils are rich in gravel like all of the best sites of the Haut Medoc but here the formation of gravel over clay creates a cooler atmosphere for its vines compared to those in the villages farther downstream. This results in delayed ripening and wines with higher acidity compared to the other villages.
While they can seem a bit austere when young, St. Estephe reds prove to live very long in the cellar. Traitionally dominated by Cabernet Sauvignon, many producers now add a significant proportion of Merlot to the blend, which will soften any sharp edges of the more tannic, Cabernet.
The St. Estephe village contains two second growths, Chateau Montrose and Cos d’Estournel.