Chateau Cos Labory 2016

Rich and powerful, with good freshness underneath the fruit. The components of the wine are off the charts, extremely knitted down and barely budging. It has amazing silky tannins and just a slight tartness to the fruit on the finish which pulls things up abruptly. Plenty to love here. 57hl/ha yield. Matured in 50% new oak.

Plenty of plum and smoke on this rather broad St.-Estèphe and there’s just enough character and structure to hold it on track. Soft finish. Drink or hold.

The 2016 Cos Labory is a supple, pretty wine with plenty of near and medium-term appeal. Sweet tobacco, cedar, leather, scorched earth and menthol are all nicely laced together. From bottle, the 2016 is a bit more subdued than it was from barrel, while some slightly rough contours are going to need time in bottle to sort themselves out fully.

Fruity, forward, medium bodied, spicy, round and easy drinking, there is a nice blast of ripe cassis and cigar box in the finish.

Deep garnet with a lighter rim. A floral opening of blackberry blossom and violet, followed by raspberry pulp. Very elegant on the palate with supportive tannins; it has evolved well with the vintage. Fine-grained notes emerge in the aromatic finish.

Kunz Fassprobe 17: Velvety, dense, dark bouquet with black cherries, blackcurrant, currants, mocha, vanilla and smoke. Creamy, dense, layered palate with powerful, sweet, dark aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, a dense, finely muscular structure, and a long, dense, full finish.

Velvety, dense, dark bouquet with black cherries, blackcurrant, currants, mocha, vanilla and smoky notes. Creamy, dense, multi-layered palate with powerful, sweet, dark aromatics, plenty of fine tannins, a compact, finely muscular structure, and a long, dense, full finish. 18/20 2024 - 2040

Not always the most consistent 1855 estate, but it really shows its potential with the 2016 vintage. Love the marzipan and aniseed that comes in waves through the palate, set against plump and bright black fruits. Firm but supple tannins, this has got to be the greatest Cos Labory vintage of the past 20 years or more. 57hl/h yield, harvest October 3 to 12. 50% new oak, 3.6ph.

Medium to deep garnet colored, the 2016 Cos Labory features notes of redcurrants and Morello cherries over a core of blackcurrant pastilles and pencil shavings, plus a touch of bay leaves. The medium-bodied palate is crunchy and refreshing, delivering chewy tannins and loads of savory sparks on the finish.

Dense red fruit, bramble, strawberry. Full-bodied palate, a crisp attack, very long, supple tannins.

The nose is elegant, structured and racy, offering concentration, depth and a pronounced mineral edge. It reveals notes of blackberry and crunchy strawberry, with lighter touches of blackcurrant and violet, alongside hints of cherry and discreet accents of nutmeg, spice and a very subtle note of pepper in the background. The palate is fruity, juicy and crisp, with fine definition, appealing juiciness/generosity, a tangy acidic framework, a delicate creaminess, a light airy feel and supple smoothness. On the palate, the wine expresses notes of juicy blackcurrant and juicy blackberry, with lighter touches of juicy raspberry, combined with hints of juicy/crunchy cherry, touches of violet and liquorice/zan, as well as discreet notes of tonka bean and toast, and a subtle touch of sweet spices. There is chewiness on the finish. A very discreet hint of caramelisation/Bourbon vanilla appears on the finish/through the persistence.

The best ever made. Dark, intense, beautiful colour. Very aromatic nose with ripe, creamy fruit. Delicate on the attack, especially flavoursome on the mid-palate, with flavour, body and poise, the wine builds and finishes long, full, delicious and noble. Bravo. Blend: 53% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Petit Verdot, 44% Merlot.