Les Pagodes de Cos 2002, Saint-Estèphe

The second wine of Cos d’Estournel, but very much its own personality, especially in a year like 2002. This was a cooler, more classic Médoc vintage, and here it shows in a wine that has aged with quiet confidence rather than muscle. Today it leans into tertiary charm: cedar, dried blackcurrant, cigar box, a touch of iron and that unmistakable Saint-Estèphe firmness, now softened at the edges.

What makes this bottle fun is timing. At just over twenty years, Les Pagodes hits a sweet spot where structure, freshness and savory notes finally align, often earlier and more gracefully than the grand vin. It is also a reminder that Cos has long treated its second wine seriously, sourcing from dedicated parcels and aiming for balance over power. Proof that patience with well-made Bordeaux does not always require a first growth budget.

Château Cos d'Estournel