Whenever I think of Saint-Estèphe, I’m reminded of song Forever Young and this 1998 Cos DEstournel certainly lived up to it….Nearly 30 years old yet it still feels remarkably youthful with plenty of life ahead of it….
Medium-plus bodied and medium alcohol and showing a beautiful interplay between lingering floral character and elegant still emerging tertiary complexity not on the face that you can find overwhelming. Like old wisdom, it doesn’t announce itself immediately. It unfolds slowly layer by layer. The tension that develops due to slow bobbl bottle development is sexy!
Notes: Dried red cherries, pressed flowers, tobacco leaf, warm asphalt, clove, star anise, tea, brick dust, graphite and cured meat. Elegant and beautifully resolved, but still carrying enough structure and freshness to age gracefully for years to come. Needs decanting ofcourse for her to reveal herself…
What makes me a bit sad is how global warming is changing Bordeaux. This 1998 was just 12.5% alcohol, whereas many recent Pauillacs and Saint-Estèphes are pushing 15% or more and that’s now considered perfectly normal. This elegance of lower-alcohol wel balanced vintages feels increasingly rare.
by andromedan_95