Château Cos d’Estournel Pagodes De Cos 2020 Saint Estephe Bordeaux France

93 – 94 Points James Suckling – This is a racy Pagodes with beautiful fruit and tannins that leave a nice, persistent finish. Medium to full body. Savory finish. Tight and clean.

91 – 93 Points Jeb Dunnuck – The second wine of the château, the 2020 Pagodes De Cos is based on 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, and the balance equal parts Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, all raised in 30% new barrels. It shows the pure, elegant, concentrated style of the vintage with its fresher dark fruits, graphite, tobacco, and leafy herb-like aromas and flavors. Medium to full-bodied, with beautiful mid-palate concentration, this classic, elegant, focused 2020 is very much in the style of the vintage and will benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 20 years or so.

91 – 93 Points Robert Parkers Wine Advocate – The 2020 Les Pagodes de Cos is composed of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 34% Merlot, 4% Cabernet Franc and 4% Petit Verdot. The harvest took place September 10–24 with a yield of 39 hectoliters per hectare. The alcohol weighs in at 13.28% with a pH of 3.85 and an IPT (total phenolic index) of 68. It is being aged in French oak barrels, 30% new. Medium to deep garnet-purple colored, it sashays out of the glass with pretty, open-knit scents of stewed black plums, boysenberries and warm cassis, plus savory hints of charcuterie, woodsmoke, black truffles and bouquet garni. Medium-bodied, the palate is packed with crunchy black fruit flavors and dried herbs accents, supported by bags of freshness and well-managed, grainy tannins, finishing with great length and a lively skip in its step.

92 Points Decanter – Maintains both a spiced kick and creamy texture through the palate, giving form and character. Silky texture, with cinnamon and saffron-laden blackberry fruits. This is precise and confident with sweet and tender tannins, the power is almost hidden at this point but it is there. 38% of overall production. 4% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

90 – 92 Points Vinous – The 2020 Les Pagodes de Cos is very easy to like. Silky tannins and pretty, lifted aromatics play off a core of supple fruit. In most vintages, the Pagodes is perhaps a bit more exuberant. I am curious to see what things look like once the 2020 is in bottle.