Wine Advocate (94)

Tasted from an ex-château bottle at BI Wine & Spirits Calon-Segur dinner in London. The 2000 Calon Segur is one of those wines that reminds you how great the millennial vintage could be. Now at fifteen years old, it has a brilliant, vivacious red berry nose infused with ash and cigar box aromas. The detail here is a beguiling and it just sings Saint Estèphe. The palate is medium-bodied with dense, firm tannin that provide a rigid backbone, but it is swathed in copious tobacco-drenched black fruit and a superb line of acidity. It finishes with a twist of bitter cherry on the finish that completes what is a deeply impressive Calon-Ségur; it might just outclass the 2005. Tasted March 2015.

Jeb Dunnuck (97)

I loved this bottle of 1982 Cos d'Estournel, and it was easily the best bottle I’ve had of this wine, which has always shown slightly tired and over the hill for me. It shows classic, even youthful notes of lead pencil, currants and saddle leather, was full-bodied, had beautiful depth of fruit, and a great, great finish, all pointing to a fully mature yet grand Saint Estephe. Drink up.

Wine Spectator (91)

Dense and powerful with tobacco, cherry and vanilla aromas and flavors. Full-bodied and very firm with a long finish. Needs time; try after 1998.--The Bordeaux 50. -JS

Wine Advocate (95)

A wine of extraordinary intensity and accessibility, the 1995 Cos d'Estournel is a sexier, more hedonistic offering than the muscular, backward 1996. Opulent, with forward aromatics (gobs of black fruits intermixed with toasty pain grille scents and a boatload of spice), this terrific Cos possesses remarkable intensity, full body, and layers of jammy fruit nicely framed by the wine's new oak. Because of low acidity and sweet tannin, the 1995 will be difficult to resist young, although it will age for 2-3 decades. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2025.

Wine Spectator (100)

Cos is on top of it now. Very long and racy. Full-bodied, with a solid core of fruit and big, racy tannins. The palate goes on and on. Very serious indeed. As good as or better than '00. Score range: 95-100

Jeb Dunnuck (100)

Another magical wine from this property, the 2009 Château Cos D'Estournel reminds me slightly of the 2005 with its incredibly rich, powerful, opulent style married to stunning finesse and elegance. Still youthful yet with a touch of maturity, its deep ruby/plum color is followed by classic Saint-Estèphe notes of blackcurrants, dried tobacco, loamy earth, Asian spices, and licorice. Deep, full-bodied, and massive on the palate, it's flawlessly balanced and has building tannins hiding under its wealth of fruit, with no hard edges and a great, great finish. This tour de force is still 5-7 years away from maturity and is a legendary wine to follow over the coming 40-50 years.

James Suckling (98)

Super aromas of nutmeg, cloves and dried flowers with plums and blackberries. Subtle yet so complex. Full-bodied, tight and integrated with ultra-fine tannins and a beautiful finish. Lasts for minutes. Very, very Cos. Harmony. Texturally marvellous. Drink in 2024.

The Wine Independent (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cos d'Estournel is quite closed to start, requiring a lot of coaxing to bring out profound notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, black cherry compote, and rose oil, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, crushed rocks, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both opulent and energetic, revealing loads of perfumed black fruit layers and a plush, polished texture, finishing with epic length and depth.

The Wine Independent (100)

Deep garnet in color, the 2016 Cos d'Estournel is quite closed to start, requiring a lot of coaxing to bring out profound notions of creme de cassis, wild blueberries, black cherry compote, and rose oil, leading to suggestions of Indian spices, crushed rocks, and dried lavender. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is both opulent and energetic, revealing loads of perfumed black fruit layers and a plush, polished texture, finishing with epic length and depth.

Wine Spectator (92)

Extremely pretty and perfumed, with velvety tannins and rich, spicy blueberry flavors. Not a huge wine, but gorgeous. Drink after 1997. 18,500 cases made.

Jancis Robinson (17)

63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 27% Merlot, 5% Petit Verdot, 1% Cabernet Franc. Started organic viticulture and moving towards biodynamics – but still not certified. Very deep crimson. Exotic and polished nose. Inky and sweet and rather gorgeous. Lots of energy here. Good tannin quality. Long and opulent. Not the most characteristic of the appellation but lots of pleasure.

Wine Enthusiast (93)

92-94 Barrel sample. A wine obviously for aging, with its severe tannins and very mineral character. It is dark, brooding, solidly ripe and powerful, with a great waft of final juiciness.

Savour the complexity of the Meyney 1981, a riveting vintage from the storied Chateau Meyney of Bordeaux's Saint Estèphe region. As a distinguished Bordeaux Superieur, this wine exudes the meticulosity of the winemaking process. The vineyard, established in the 17th century, boasts a remarkable location next to the river Gironde, leading to a unique terroir that damasks itself into layers of flavour.

The Meyney 1981 reveals its age through pronounced tannins and a striking boldness on the palate. A blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, the wine offers a nod to tradition while expressing individuality. Expect notes of ripe fruit, truffle, and tobacco, elegantly underpinned by a subtle touch of oak from 18 months in French barrels.

An embodiment of Chateau Meyney's commitment to excellence, the Meyney 1981 remains a testament to the enduring appeal of fine Bordeaux wines.

Wine Advocate (97)

Tasted at the Montrose vertical in Stamford and again at the vertical in London a few weeks later, I wondered whether the 1964 Montrose would repeat its spectacular showing at the tasting back in 2004. The answer is yes. Picked between 18 September and 1 October, unlike many Left Bank estates, Montrose managed to avoid the mid-October rains that ruined the Cabernet Sauvignon. It has a stunning bouquet, Burgundian in style, laden with far more fruité than the 1961, 1966 and 1970. Beautifully defined, there are plenty of pretty red berry fruit here laced with candied orange peel. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannin, clearly a feminine Montrose, though that does not preclude it from delivering plenty of weight and fruit intensity. There is a touch of chlorine towards the finish, but otherwise this exquisite Saint Estèphe will continue to give great pleasure for many years. Do not ignore this wonderful Montrose if you ever see it. Tasted June 2016.

Wine Advocate (78)

Tasted at the château, the 1983 Montrose, picked between 27 September and 13 October, was quite deep at the core but showing some bricking on the rim. The nose feels fatigued and leathery, an ephemeral bouquet that could blow away in the lightest wind. The palate is light-bodied, angular and hollow, a large hole where the fruit ought to be and then it tapers to a severe, raw and slightly vegetal finish. Robert Parker lambasted the 1983, which given the reputation of the property and the fact that it was not a terrible growing season like the following year, should have been much much better. This is outshone by the 1984—enough said. Tasted September 2016.

Wine Advocate (100)

Tasted at the Montrose vertical in London, the 1990 Montrose is a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 32% Merlot and 4% Cabernet Franc (almost identical to the 1989 Montrose) and picked between 14 September and 3 October. It has a formidable reputation and for years it overshadowed the 1989. That said, it is well known that there are incidences of brettanomyces that compromise some bottles and the one bottle in London showed just a tincture of this. It still merited a score of 97/100, though it only served to highlight the ethereal delineation of the 1989. Then literally a couple of days later. I was served blind a magnum of the 1990 Montrose in Cape Town, which had been purchased on release and stored in perfect conditions. Now, here was the real deal, unfettered by any infection, a regal Saint Estèphe. It shows approximately the same evolution as the 1989 in bottle, but unsurprisingly showed less bricking in magnum format. The bouquet is cut from a different cloth to the 1989 and attests to that warm vintage: hickory, clove, undergrowth and wild fennel, later garrigue-like scents and terracotta, the latter two more pronounced on the bottle format compared to the youthful magnum. The palate is full-bodied and powerful, yet the balance is perfect, a ballerina-like poise with the structure of the Forth Bridge. It is a multi-layered Montrose that offers enormous length, fresh and vibrant with the magnum demonstrating tangible mineralite and tension as it fans out on the crescendo of a finish—a fanfare for Saint Estèphe in all its glory. Improving all the time in the glass, this example of 1990 Montrose is a privilege to behold. One can speculate whether larger formats are a safer bet in terms of experiencing this behemoth without any brettanomyces. Perhaps. However, if you do come across the 1990 Montrose like this, you are in the presence of a king. Tasted January 2017.

Vinous - Stephen Tanzer (91)

Bright full ruby-red. Precise, pure aromas of cassis, pepper, minerals and currant leaf, plus a hint of bitter chocolate. Juicy and intensely flavored; a classic midweight claret with penetrating inner-mouth aromas of dark berries, leather and game. Long, firm, palate-cleansing finish features very firm tannins that avoid hardness. Perhaps ultimately leaner than the '99, but longer today. I underestimated this wine last year.

Jane Anson Inside Bordeaux (98)

The last year for Montrose under the Charmolüe family, before the Bouygues bought in 2006. Inky plum in colour, moreish from the very first sip. So juicy, such well controlled extraction, balanced but intense and concentrated, with layers of still-vibrant cassis, bilberry, eucalyptus and cocoa bean. You can now clearly see where this is heading, but it will continue to build over the next few years, and then stay on the plateau for decades. Proof that whatever the Bouygues paid for it the following year, they were getting one of the greatest estates in the Médoc. 60% new oak.

Wine Spectator (92-95)

Superb concentration, with spice, currant and berry character. Full and velvety. So long. At same quality level as the legendary 1955, or 1959. Score range: 92-95 -JS

Jeb Dunnuck (94)

The 2009 Pagodes De Cos is a blockbuster that I wish I had more of in the cellar. A blend of 69% Cabernet Sauvignon and the rest mostly Merlot (there’s a small amount of Petit Verdot) brought up in roughly 50% new French oak, its deep purple/plum color is followed by a smorgasbord of black raspberry and kirsch like fruits, spice box, dried flowers and licorice. With a huge mid-palate, sweet, sweet tannin, beautiful purity of fruit, and a great finish, it’s an incredibly sexy, satisfying second wine that will keep for another 10-15 years.