Comparing Cos d’Estournel wines: 2000 to 2016

Cos continues to cement its place at the top of the second growths. It has moved on from the emphasis on heft and ripeness to a much more polished, elegant style. This 2016 retains the structure, with 70% new oak adding to the glossy, smooth tannins and palate feel, whilst adding in intense blackcurrant fruit, Asian spices, leafy hints and plenty of mineral drive to finish. Much more drinkable than, say, 2009/2010.

A bloody, slightly ferrous nose with the riper end of black fruit leaning into a touch of rose to balance out the powerful, mineral mouthfeel. Although this Cos d’Estournel is very much in its youth, there is promise of reward for the patient. Currently this is all about the power but with a wealth of purity behind the intensity of fruit and structure. Needs time.

Szechuan peppercorns on the nose, something quite spiced, maybe woody, with fragrant blackcurrants too. Sleek and streamlined, tangy and vibrant but with some tension that shuts down some of the fruity enjoyment. I like the texture and the weight, but the flavours are clearly concentrated with ripe black fruits and graphite on the finish. Give this a good air if drinking soon or leave to age longer.

Darkly fragranced, with chocolate, blackcurrants and violets, ripe fruit and soft woody touches. Tense and compact, tannins with a lovely texture. Nice weight and balance. Silky and streamlined, polished and poised. Long, clean finish with a salty liquorice, tobacco mineral touch. Great structure, weight and definition.

Gorgeous, a clear step up from the 2000 vintage as it approaches its second decade. This is not quite ready to drink, although a few hours in a decanter could open it up sufficiently. It's full of intense, tight and spirited black fruits, replete with this château’s signature richness of structure, which seems to ooze naturally through the tannins. There's a real sense of energy and zest, with liquorice, slate, spice, cassis and black cherry. The second half of August was hotter in 2001 than 2000 in St-Estèphe, and the grapes were left to reach a long, slow maturity. Harvesting did not begin until 1 October when the nights were getting cooler –this will have helped the wine keep its remarkable freshness. Matured in 80% new oak.

Rich fruit that is full of that classic exotic Cos spice, yet more restrained than in the past with a slatey graphite base. Beautifully put together; an exciting wine that will grow in complexity and flavour.

This is a vintage that was naturally very generous, sporting a yield of around 35hl/ha. It's without question more spicy, peppery and exotic than many vintages, and it is still obvious why there were disagreements among the critics over this wine. It was made towards the end of the era when the winemaking team at Cos d’Estournel systematically de-leafed and pushed the Cabernet Sauvignon to be as ripe as possible - harvest finished 10 October - and perhaps it strays a touch over the line. It's undoubtedly opulent, fleshy and weighty without being heavy, with a rich texture, and when it was younger I struggled to find the signature characteristics of the appellation, but the freshness of St-Estèphe terroir is more obvious at this point. Plenty to savour in this wine.

The silky texture and understated elegance of the 2006 Cos d'Estournel appealed to me - I had this first in its flight, (ahead of my fellow tasters). It is a wine that continues to improve with time, boasting abundant blackcurrant fruit and subtle hints of pepper, cedar, and smoke give complexity. The texture is youthful and firm, with plenty of tannic grip and enough freshness to lead this to a lingering finish. The blend is 78% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, completed with a splash of Cabernet Franc.

A big, rich St-Estèphe that’s full of pleasure. It’s perhaps a little bit more evolved than I might have expected, displaying gently burnished notes of autumnal fruits. Open and ready to drink, the tannins are still solid but they are certainly caressing. Overall this is very good quality and well structured, displaying graphite and liquorice against the softness of the fruit. Harvest was 22 September to 9 October and 65% was used for grand vin production. Matured in 80% new oak.

Rich, dark and spicy in its aromatics and its fruit - really get that feel of a red wine steeped in aromatic herbs and spices. Less evident austerity than the Montrose although that is not to say that this is a generous vintage at Cos, more that it benefits from a sense of powerful exoticism. The hail meant picking the Cabernet a little earlier than they might have wanted (harvest was September 5th to 16th), but they have handled it well, and this still has plenty to give with a little more ageing in bottle. 80% new oak.

This wasn't an easy vintage when young because there was quite a bit of rain through the season, leading to a fairly high yield with some dilution in the grapes. It has needed a lot of time to become harmonious and to melt into itself, but this wine displays clever winemaking decisions. It’s clearly ready to drink now, with soft tannins and brambly fruits joined by tight, black truffles that give spice but also freshness and energy that kicks in through the mid-palate, leading to a mouthwatering finish. The wine was kept on its lees in barrel during ageing without racking, to protect it from oxygen as much as possible.

Excellent quality and surprisingly fresh given the vintage, this wine is clearly ready to drink now, however there’s no rush to drink this urgently - one of the key markers of a great Bordeaux wine is that, even if it evolves quickly, it reaches a point where it stops and sticks – and I feel that is what we have here. Expect the full array of soft leather, truffle, spice and fig. In early August, technical director Dominique Arangoïts remembers smelling cooked fruit in the vines at night-time. The levels of malic acid were one of the lowest on record, and the alcohol fairly reasonable also. This has aged far better than expected, no doubt helped by the proportion of Cabernet Sauvignon, as well as the clay subsoils of St-Estèphe and the old Merlot vines (between 80 and 100 years old). The harvest was finished by 25 September, earlier than most in the appellation.

This has a truffle edge to the nose and almost a Pomerol character. A number of 2002s are a little awkward, but this is generous and welcoming. Harvesting started on 30 September in this vintage, with an east wind that concentrated or dehydrated the grapes, meaning that the overall yield was 33hl/ha. The fruit quality feels ripe and it's a lovely wine to drink now, but it may not age as well as some of the other vintages. Matured in 60% new oak – the level of new oak was reduced from this year onwards. 1% Petit Verdot makes up the blend.

Deep-coloured, richly flavoured claret with an immediate and abundant ‘attack’, which then rather fades away. Will undoubtedly keep well but will always lack the class of a more successful year.

There's attractive upfront fruit here, with light tannins that avoid excessive extraction. The nose is subdued, and the palate also lacks some vigour and flair. Rather chunky and drab on the finish, this is solid enough but hardly the equal of better vintages from here.

Fine, floral fruit –has Pauillac elegance. Quite fleshy and well-structured with a real sense of place. Attractive yet serious.

Caramel, sweet chocolate, there is definite rich fruit here, contemporary dusting, an interesting, easy to drink wine.