France · Bordeaux

Chateau Cos d'Estournel

Château Cos d'Estournel is a 2ème Cru Classé in Saint-Estèphe, one of Bordeaux's most recognizable estates by virtue of its distinctive Oriental-influenced chai and the pagoda-topped tower visible from the D2. The estate is unusual for Saint-Estèphe in its high Merlot content (~38%), which contributes to a rounder style than typical for the appellation. Michel Reybier has owned the estate since 2000, investing heavily in a gravity-fed winery completed in 2008. The auction lots in this database average only $63 across 168 lots — a deceptively low figure driven by the second wine dominance. The top wines at auction are Pagodes de Cos and G d'Estournel, the estate's second and third wines respectively, not the grand vin, which at retail trades at $150–300+. These secondary labels — particularly Pagodes de Cos — drive the volume and suppress the average price. Pagodes de Cos has itself become a respected wine, often scoring 88–91 points and offering Cos character at roughly a third of the price. G d'Estournel (formerly known as Goulee by Cos d'Estournel) is a Médoc AOC produced from younger vines and purchased fruit. Grand vin Cos d'Estournel from exceptional vintages — 2000, 2009, 2010, 2016 — commands $400–800 per bottle at auction, but represents the minority of lots in this dataset. The estate is justifiably considered one of the best values in classified Bordeaux when vintages align.