Les Pagodes de Cos 2016

It is no secret that Les Pagodes de Cos is one of the best value second wines from Bordeaux.  This fleshy, seductive, and vibrant second wine from the storied Second Growth estate Cos d’Estournel should be in any bargain-conscious oenophile’s repertoire.  With plenty of spices and aromas of luscious fruits, Les Pagodes de Cos Rouge is the perfect wine to enjoy with heartier faire yet has plenty of versatility.  A wine that consistently over-delivers each vintage, Les Pagodes de Cos possesses the power of many great Saint-Estèphes yet is a sumptuous and friendly wine.  Be sure to enjoy it when waiting for the grand vin to come around.  Cos d’Estournel has a long and rich history that is unique among the many estates on the Left Bank.  The exotic, pagoda-like architecture is striking and conjures up images of distant lands in the mind’s eye.  The unconventional is embraced here, and it serves this renegade Second Growth well.  The property’s origins begin with one man – Louis Gaspard d’Estournel.  His love of Cos d’Estournel bordered upon an obsession, and he would frequently drive himself into debt snapping up as many parcels of land around him as he could.  He expanded the vineyard holdings from 14 to 45 hectares within his lifetime. 

Louis was a foreword-thinking man with an entrepreneurial spirit.  He did not participate in the negociantsystem and spent the majority of his time shipping his wines to foreign countries like India.  Since his wines were so concentrated and powerful, they often arrived in fantastic condition.  Louis Gaspard d’Estournel was one of the first Bordeaux winemakers to cater to the global marketplace, earning him the title of "The Maharaja of St-Estèphe."  Unfortunately, he passed away before he could bear witness to Château Cos d’Estournel being classified as a Second Growth. The property is currently managed by hospitality mogul, Michel Reybeir, who shares the same passion for the estate as his esteemed predecessor.  Pagodes de Cos has the same vines that are used for the grand vin.  A mixture of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot that are 40 years old on average go into this wine.  What makes Pagodes de Cos a unique Second Wine from the Left Bank is the higher concentration of Merlot in the blend.  This is a practice commonly used in the Saint-Estèphe appellation, largely due to the hefty amount of clay terroir, that provide a nurturing environment for this plush and velvety varietal.  The grapes are vinified in a gravity flow winery to preserve the softness of the wine.

The personality of Pagodes de Cos Rouge is playful, spontaneous, and seductive.   There is a smoothness to the wine, coupled with beautifully integrated tannins.  One can expect aromas of black fruits, dark florals, and even aromas of tea.  Pagodes de Cos is a seductive, balanced wine and among one of the favorites among the team at Laguna Cellar.  We can assure you, once you discover this sensual and powerful wine, you’ll feel the same way.

"The second wine of the estate is no slouch. The 2016 Pagodes de Cos has some grand vin character in its cassis and graphite aromas and flavors. Showing more incense, graphite, and hints of flowers with air time, this medium to full-bodied, rounded, beautifully textured effort is well worth a case purchase. Drink this beauty, the equal to most estates’ top wines, while you wait on the grand vin to come around." - Jeb Dunnuck, (03/01/2019), Ratings: 93

"This is a serious wine representing 55% of the overall production, with the other 45% in Cos ('not one drop into a third wine or bulk' says director Aymeric de Gironde). Extremely dark black cassis fruits and graphite show the power of St-Estèphe clays. Fresh, bright and well structured (3.61pH, 65IPT), this is bristling with fruit and silky tannins, and may even close down for a few years. A blend of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46.5% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 0.6% Cabernet Franc from vines averaging 35 years old, aged in 30% new oak." - Jane Anson, (04/21/2017), Ratings: 92, Drink: 2023-2040

"The 2016 Les Pagodes de Cos is blended of 50% Cabernet Sauvignon, 46.5% Merlot, 3% Petit Verdot and 0.5% Cabernet Franc. It has a deep garnet-purple color and opens with notions of warm cassis, black cherries and smoked meats giving way to scents of charcoal, underbrush and cloves plus a waft of new leather. Medium to full-bodied, it fills the palate with generous black fruits and some compelling red fruit sparks, supported by ripe, grainy tannins and finishing long and spicy." - Lisa Perrotti-Brown, The Wine Advocate, (11/30/2018), Ratings: 92, Drink: 2020-2033

"The 2016 Les Pagodes de Cos has a wonderful bouquet of vibrant, expressive red berry fruit, strawberry and raspberry, conveying a tangible sense of mineralité and tension; the new oak is very well integrated here. The balanced palate offers fine-boned tannins and very well judged acidity. Utterly harmonious, with a caressing and beautifully poised finish. This is a top-class Saint-Estèphe that will age with panache. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting." - Neal Martin, Vinous, (08/13/2020),  Ratings: 92