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: 70% Sauvignon Blanc, 30% Sémillon
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
A brilliant white from this team, the 2023 Château Cos D'Estournel Blanc is based on 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Semillon and reveals a touch more inward, mineral-laced character than the Pagodes Blanc. Ripe citrus, orange pith, white flowers, and a liqueur of rocks-like minerality all define the aromatics, and it's medium-bodied, fresh, focused, and vibrant on the palate, with bright, juicy acidity, remarkable purity, and a great finish. It's another sensational white from this estate that will keep for a solid two decades.
-
James Suckling
White melon, quince, crushed stones and flint on the nose. Really minerally. Medium- to full-bodied, with lovely phenolics and intensity that give this wine lift and focus. Vivid finish. Creamy and textured. 70% sauvignon blanc and 30% semillon.
-
Decanter
Some herbal elements on the nose with peach, lime and a hint of mango, white chocolate and vanilla. Lovely weight and body, enough to be mouth filling and give some density and concentration on the palate. Lively, supple, a great richness and a touch of sweetness that gives it roundness while the Sauvignon Blanc adds crisp apple and green stone fruit. Extremely low ph of 3.14 keeps the focus on the freshness and acidity really countering the ripe fruit. A great effort this year.
Barrel Sample: 95 -
Vinous
The 2023 Cos d'Estournel Blanc, a blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon, offers slightly more tropical notes on the nose than Les Pagodes, with a touch more depth–hints of orange blossom and honeysuckle. The palate is well balanced with tangerine and lime, fine acidity, notable focus and a bright and tensile finish. This is another delicious white. It will be difficult to resist in its youth. –Antonio Galloni
Barrel Sample: 92-94 -
Wine Spectator
This is plump, pure and fresh, with a live wire of sel gris running through a crystal-clear set of white peach, Jonagold apple, honeysuckle and tarragon notes. A subtle twinge of oyster shell enhances the long, precise finish. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
A blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc and 30% Sémillon, the 2023 Blanc from Cos d'Estournel emerges from the glass with aromas of white fruits, confit citrus, white flowers and mint, followed by a moderately weighted, juicy and lively palate with nicely integrated acidity and a long, 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.