97pts 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.
96pts Jeb Dunnuck
Even more impressive, the 2022 Château Cos D'Estournel Blanc is 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Sémillon brought up all in used oak. A focused, pure, seamless white, it has obvious minerality in its lemon and lime fruits as well as mint and leafy herb nuances. Hitting 13.4% alcohol with a pH of 3.2, it's going to benefit from a year or three of bottle age and drink beautifully over the following decade at least.
96pts 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.
95pts Jane Anson
Grippy acidity keeps up momentum and contrasts beautifully with the ripe fleshy stone fruit through the mid palate. Waves of white pear, citrus, peach, nectarine pit, great quality here, Great stuff, more closed right now that Pagodes as you would expect, but this is steely, flinty and moreish.
92-94pts Vinous
The 2022 Cos d'Estournel Blanc is gorgeous. Rich and layered, the 2022 deftly balances the natural intensity of the year with notable texture. Lemon confit, marzipan, white flowers, mint, tangerine oil and white pepper are some of the many notes that emerge over time. More than anything else, it is the wine's balance that is of note.
- Antonio Galloni
91-93pts Vinous
The 2022 Cos d'Estournel Blanc, a blend of 74% Sauvignon Blanc and 26% Semillon, matured entirely in one to three year old barrels. This has a more harmonious bouquet than the Pagodes Blanc, with fine depth and freshness. The palate is well balanced with fine acidity. The 2022 is bright with lime and orange zest notes, gently building towards a lightly spiced and pleasing finish. This joyful Cos d'Estournel Blanc should provide at least a decade's drinking pleasure.
- Neal Martin
Winemaker's 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
History
Chateau Cos d'Estournel is a Grand Cru vineyard located in St. Estephe. Its oriental facade is adorned with three pagoda turrets, all cast in a soft golden sandstone. Chateau Cos d'Estournel today covers 170 acres separated from Chateau Lafite, along the southern edge, by the stream between St. Estephe and Pauillac. The gravelly soil, over a flint, limestone and silicate subsoil low in nitrogen, has eroded over centuries to form steep ridges which perfectly drain the vineyards. The vineyards are planted 60 percent in Cabernet Sauvignon vines, 2 percent of Cabernet Franc, and 38 percent in Merlot. Naturally, the percentage of Cabernet or Merlot in the composition of each vintage depends on the climate which favors one grape variety or the other.
