【試飲心得】Château Cos d’Estournel試飲會......(2004.11.12)

日前經由Wine and Life網站，得知這個試飲會，就寫了一封E-mail給對方，原本想說對方只開放五個名額，而我一直到11/10才知道這消息，那時報名可能已經太晚了，沒想到當天晚上對方便已確認報名，看來我有搭上這班車，不錯不錯……

先簡單介紹一下酒莊：Château Cos d'Estournel是Bordeaux左岸的酒莊，位於Saint-Estèphe，是Médoc區的二級列級酒莊之一，一直以來都有很高的釀酒水準，由林裕森的書裡，得知酒的風格不像一般Saint-Estèphe較為堅硬粗澀的風味，反而顯得特別圓厚豐滿。

會場是在西華飯店的三樓宴會廳，可惜我沒有機會在樓下的Toscana餐廳吃飯，省錢省錢……呵呵～

到場之後，只有簡單的核對資料，就可以入場了，看來要混進去or拗進去並不是很困難的事情……受邀的人不少，估計約有80人左右，我想有很多是酒商的主要客人吧……像我這種網路報名的人真是少之又少……人數不少，主辦的酒商也很阿莎力，酒數量實在很多，酒種也有5種，看來可以好好喝一喝了，哇哈哈哈～

所有人就位後，Cos d'Estournel莊主的兒子Jean-Guillaume Prats也到了會場，他介紹著Château Cos d'Estournel的簡史、土地、釀酒風格等，介紹完之後就開始品飲。這一次一共有五款酒，品飲心得分述如下：

1. Les Pagodes de Cos 2001

頗深的寶石紅色，偏紫。黑醋栗、木材、可可和酵母味，頗怡人。入口口感較厚、集中，有酸度，甜熟口感把單寧藏得很好，且富結構，單寧柔順但多，中度餘韻。

2. Les Pagodes de Cos 1996

頗深的寶石紅色，和1號酒相比較淺。黑醋栗、木材味，略有燒烤味。入口後口感較薄，有酸度，果味不甚集中，結構不足，單寧較粗澀。（可能是存放有問題的酒？）

3. Château Cos d'Estournel 2001

使用55% Cabernet Sauvignon和45% Merlot，80%新桶釀製，官方適飲期為2007至2020年。頗深的寶石紅色，偏紫且較不透光，very young。黑醋栗、木材、可可、胡椒味。入口後口感很好，單寧柔順但充足，黑醋栗味明顯，果味均衡，有酸度和澀度，餘韻頗長。

4. Château Cos d'Estournel 1999

使用65% Cabernet Sauvignon和35% Merlot，官方適飲期為2008至2025年。頗深的寶石紅色，偏紫，very young，顏色較3號略淺。黑醋栗、木材、可可、酵母、胡椒味。入口後單寧強勁，果味均衡充足，黑醋栗、胡椒味明顯，中度餘韻。

5. Château Cos d'Estournel 1996

使用65% Cabernet Sauvignon和35% Merlot，官方適飲期為2005至2025年。寶石紅色，略偏紫，strong。黑醋栗、溼地、甘草、藥草、木材、可可味，胡椒味很淺，有複雜度。入口後單寧柔軟但充足，有酸度，餘韻長。

喝了不少酒，也搶了三個酒瓶請講者簽名、合影，真是滿載而歸啊……

附上WA和WS的酒評如下：

1. Pagodes de Cos 1996

WS:89

Delivers plenty of spicy currant and berry character. Full-bodied, with well-integrated, silky tannins and a spicy, fruity aftertaste. Clever winemaking. Best second label of the vintage. From Chateau Cos d'Estournel. Try after 2002. (JS)

2. Château Cos d'Estournel 2001

WA:93

A beautiful effort, the 2001 Cos d'Estournel (65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot) exhibits a poised, noble bouquet of black currants, cedar, spice box, and licorice. A hint of truffles emerges as it sits in the glass. Medium-bodied with sweet fruit (mostly black) and nicely integrated wood, it builds incrementally in the mouth, ending with a 50-second finish. Drink this stylish, restrained yet substantial claret over the next 15+ years.

WS:94

Wonderful spice and currant aromas to this young wine. Full-bodied, with super well integrated, refined tannins. Long caressing finish. This is very, very silky. Just like from barrel. Cos is on top of it now. Best after 2008. 17,705 cases made. (JS)

3. Château Cos d'Estournel 1999

WA:88

The dark ruby-colored 1999 Cos is a supremely elegant effort. The wine offers notes of dried Provencal herbs, smoke, licorice, black cherries, and cassis. This medium to full-bodied St.-Estephe is cerebral, intellectual, and refined, but lacking soul and hedonism. Anticipated maturity: 2004-2018.

WS:87

Tobacco and coffee aromas, with hints of fruit. Full- to medium-bodied, with fine tannins and a fruity finish. A bit short for Cos, but delicate and refined. Best after 2004. 23,330 cases made. (JS)

4. Château Cos d'Estournel 1996

WA:93+

Made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon and 35% Merlot, this is a huge, backward wine reminiscent of the 1986. the 1996 possesses an opaque purple color as well as pure aromatics consisting of cassis, grilled herbs, coffee, and toasty new oak. Massive in the mouth and one of the most structured and concentrated young Cos d’Estournel I have ever tasted, this thick, structured, tannic wine has closed down significantly since bottling. It requires 5-6 years of cellaring and should last 30-35 years. It is fabulous, but patience is required. Anticipated maturity: 2006-2030.

WS:95

A classy and impressive young Bordeaux from an appellation that stepped up in ྜ. Dark-colored, with plenty of currant and spice aromas, the wine is full-bodied, with very velvety tannins and allspice, berry and currant flavors. Long, long finish. One of the wines of the vintage, it's a beauty. Best after 2005. 26,000 cases made. (JS)