2025 Cos d'Estournel Pagodes de Cos

EXCLUSIVE - EXPECTED END OF 2027

Winery Château Cos d'Estournel

Château Cos d'Estournel is one of the great names of Saint-Estèphe and was classified as a Deuxième Grand Cru Classé in 1855. The estate is situated on the famous hill of Cos, near the Gironde, and is recognizable by its striking pagodas. These refer to Louis-Gaspard d'Estournel, who traded his wines outside France early on and gave the château a distinct identity. Since 2000, the estate has been owned by Michel Reybier. Pagodes de Cos is considered the second wine, but is emphatically regarded by the château as a distinct wine with its own terroir. More information about this winery can be found under the Winery tab.

Region, climate and location

Pagodes de Cos comes from Saint-Estèphe, in the north of the Médoc. The vineyards are situated on deep gravel soils with clay influences, close to the Gironde. This location ensures natural ventilation and protection against extreme weather conditions. The combination of gravel and clay provides structure, ripeness, and freshness, with Merlot playing a notably important role in this wine. The 2025 vintage was characterized by early vine development. After a relatively dry winter, rain around Easter provided a significant replenishment of water reserves. This was followed by a warm, dry summer, with periods of rain in July and late August that came at exactly the right time. The harvest began early and proceeded under good conditions. For Pagodes de Cos, the slightly later-ripening soils were particularly important, as they were able to quietly reach full ripeness in this early year.

Vineyards and grape varieties

The blend of Pagodes de Cos 2025 consists of 62% Merlot, 35% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Merlot thus clearly forms the core of this vintage, giving the wine its round texture, juicy fruit, and tension. Cabernet Sauvignon provides structure, length, and classic Médoc precision, while Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot add subtle but significant accents in aromatics, color, and spiciness.

Pagodes de Cos comes from an in-house selection within the estate, with vines averaging about forty years old. The château calls Pagodes de Cos its “other Grand Vin,” because the wine is not simply approached as a residual selection, but as its own expression of the terroir. The 2025 analysis shows 13.61% alcohol, a pH of 3.62, and 20% new oak. This indicates ripeness, but also balance and freshness.

Harvest, vinification and aging

The harvest of Cos d'Estournel began historically early in 2025. For the estate's various red wines, picking ran from early to mid-September, depending on the grape variety and plot. The early ripening made it possible to harvest grapes at full phenolic ripeness without overripeness. Vinification at Cos d'Estournel is carried out with extreme precision per plot, allowing each batch to be assessed individually. For Pagodes de Cos, the emphasis in 2025 is on fruit purity, gentle extraction, and the preservation of tension. Aging with 20% new wood provides structure and refinement without dominating the fruit. As a result, the wine remains open, juicy, and recognizably Saint-Estèphe.

Color, smell and taste

Pagodes de Cos 2025 opens with a deep, dark fruit expression. On the nose, blackberries, cassis, black cherries, and plums come to the fore, complemented by violets, iris, liquorice, and a light touch of toasted wood. The Merlot gives a generous, ripe impression, while Cabernet Sauvignon tightly defines the wine. On the palate, the wine is juicy, concentrated, and velvety in texture. The fruit is dark and ripe but remains lively due to a distinct fresh core. The tannins are present but polished and well-integrated. Alongside the black fruit, notes of spices, hazelnut, graphite, and a subtle earthy nuance emerge. What stands out most is the combination of intensity and drinkability. The wine has the depth and seriousness of Saint-Estèphe but feels more accessible than the Grand Vin. The finish is long, slightly brackish, and mouth-watering, carried by the tension and precision of the Merlot in this vintage.

Summary of professional reviews

94-95 points – James Suckling: praises the juicy, velvety style, with dark fruit, spices, hazelnut, and polished tannins. 92-94 points – Antonio Galloni, Vinous: emphasizes the power, density, and concentration of this vintage. 92-94 points – Neal Martin, Vinous: describes the wine as floral and fragrant, with violets, iris, and black fruit. 91-93 points – William Kelley, Wine Advocate: sees a fine development with blackberries, cassis, licorice, and subtle wood. The full review texts can be found in the tab: Professional reviews.

Wine & Food and Discount

If available, you will find the official factsheet and additional information about this fine wine in the 'Attachments' tab. We will automatically send these to you upon ordering this wine. The wine is stored in our climate-controlled Wine Warehouse, and if you come to collect the wine, you will often receive a nice discount. You will see your discount immediately when you select 'Pick up' on the checkout page. We are located in Dordrecht, situated almost next to the A16 with ample parking. Click here for our address.

You can read full wine reviews from Parker, Suckling, Vinous, and Wine Spectator, among others. Need advice on finding the ideal wine for your dish? Click here for our exclusive Sommelier. Free for Grandcruwijnen customers. In the Food tab, you will find advice on what to look for for the right food and wine pairing, and a number of dish suggestions from our Sommelier.