2011 Cos Labory, 5th Growth St Estephe
Deep ruby colour with a light pink rim. On the nose, violets, fresh blackcurrants, prunes, cigar box, herbs, leather and dark chocolate. On the palate, cherries and plum fruit fixed to the dry and toasty finish. 2011 Cos Labory is not a full-bodied St-Estèphes, possibly due to the relatively high proportion of Cabernet Franc like 30% in the blend(the other two-thirds are Cabernet and Merlot, as well as a dash of Petit Verdot). This 2011 is more structured than its 2012.
The wine fermented in enamel-lined concrete tanks and aged in small barriques (30-50% new) for 18 months, hence the freshness, power and intensity.
The central part of the 18-hectare vineyard is a long, thin strip, located just to the west of Cos d'Estournel(a bit of the funk), with the rest being near Lafon Rochet(resembling the chunkiness). However, the last ten years have seen a move towards a more substantial style, and the wines now are some of the best (and most sensibly priced) in St-Estèphe today.
Cos Labory is one of the smallest of the Cru Classé châteaux in Bordeaux. This 5ème Cru Classé St-Estèphe property has been in the hands of the same Audoy family since the beginning of the last century.
Consistent scoring, such as:
Château Cos Labory 2011 Saint-Estèphe, RP 91 POINTS A very dry wine, it shows the traditional Saint- Estèphe hard tannins. That suggests it will develop slowly, gradually bringing out the potential of the red berry fruits and acidity as it develops into a fine, complex wine. Drink from 2017.
