Pagodes de Cos 2021

Finely spicy on the nose, playful and aromatically complex, red and dark berries, floral notes. On the palate, slender profile, silky tannins, crisp fruit; the wine shows elegance and good length with blood orange on the finish.

Sleek and fresh, with a core of damson plum and red cherry notes that easily absorb the vintage’s austere edge, letting savory and iris accents dart through prettily on the finish. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2030. 12,000 cases made.

Fragrant with soft spicing, vanilla, cedar, cinnamon, dark chocolate with bramble tones and blackcurrant leaf. Fruit feels well worked, I love the texture here—still quite straight and linear, all in one line, but with cool fruit nuances, svelte and sleek tannins and a lovely freshness. Also these spicy Cabernet markers too which are so appealing. Direct with chalky elements that are given lift by the quite present acidity, adding a vivacity to the overall flavor. Good complexity and broad structure. 1% Petit Verdot completes the blend.

I like the currant, spice, white pepper and cedar aromas here that follow through to a medium body and a pretty core of fruit with currants, tobacco, chocolate and cedar. 60% merlot, 36% cabernet sauvignon, 3% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot. Needs two or three years to soften.

60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Cask sample. Dark- and red-berry aromas. Medium-bodied, round and juicy but lacking some intensity. Firm tannins with a bit of bite on the finish, so there is some structure. May develop, but not much excitement at present. (JL)

Flowers, currants, espresso, cocoa, smoke and licorice fill the perfume. Medium-bodied, lifted, soft, elegant, and polished, the wine is up-beat, spicy and chalky on the palate with peppery, chocolate-accented currants that round out the finish. The wine blends 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot. Drink from 2024-2040.

Deep dark ruby red, opaque core, narrow rim with purple hues. Delicate aromas of figs, black cherries and a hint of plums; the bouquet is clearly accented by Merlot. Juicy, with fruit sweetness, ripe tannins, chocolate nuances, and a mineral-salty finish; a versatile food companion.

Mostly Merlot but including 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2021 Pagodes De Cos has a juicy, medium-bodied, lively style that shows the fresher vibe of the vintage while bringing good depth of fruit and texture. Bright black cherries, currants, sappy tobacco, and some graphite/lead pencil notes all define the aromatics, and it has some classic Saint-Estèphe earth and spice. Raised in 25% new barrels and with 12.49% alcohol, drink this balanced, elegant Pagodes over the coming 10-15 years.

Kunz barrel sample 2022: (60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot, 12.49% alc./vol.) Powerful, fruity, fresh bouquet with cherries, herbs, tobacco and red licorice. Balanced, medium-bodied, fresh palate with a silky texture, finely sandy tannins, spicy aromatics, and a long, delicately bitter finish.

Enjoyable, powerful blueberry fruits, orange peel and lemongrass acidities, with pep and lift. More angular than in recent vintages, but maintains the estate signature. 30% new oak, harvest from September 23 to October 7.

A blend of 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2021 Pagodes de Cos has a deep purple-black color. It gives up expressive notes of red plums, mulberries, and fresh strawberries, giving way to wafts of moss and dried Provence herbs. The light-bodied palate is elegant and uncomplicated, with a lively backbone and soft tannins, finishing with a real skip in its step.

An open, pleasant, cheerful nose, like a child waiting for a treat. Concentrated and suave on the palate, with black fruits and chocolatey notes, finishing creamy. Lighter than previous vintages and deliciously digestible.

Pagodes unfolds in a calm, serious manner. It reveals inviting fruity notes marked by blackcurrant aromas, while spicy nuances and a touch of oak ageing underline its complexity. On the palate, the wine shows freshness, carried by powerful, somewhat austere tannins. The acidic structure counterbalances the tannic grip. A wine whose elements still need to settle, but the substance is convincing!

The nose is fresh, racy and offers good definition, freshness, precision and a fine straightness. It reveals notes of bright wild blackcurrant, violet plum and, more subtly, a racy minerality, combined with fine hints of sweet spices and fresh nutmeg. The palate is fresh, mineral and offers juiciness, minerality, good definition, a certain indulgence, a fine spherical feel, a certain silkiness, a very discreetly tight grain, a tangy/mineral backbone, harmony and lovely finesse within its roundness. On the palate, this wine expresses notes of pulpy/juicy blackberry, bright blackcurrant and, more subtly, raspberry, combined with a touch of fresh/juicy cherry, hints of nutmeg and vanilla, a subtle touch of juicy violet plum, as well as discreet hints of fresh blond tobacco, graphite, a subtle touch of camphor and chocolate. The tannins are precise, supple and well handled. Good length.

Beautiful dark color. Very aromatic, fruity nose. Hints of crème de cassis and blackberry. Very pure when swirled. Broad on the attack, broad mid-palate, highly aromatic; the wine builds in power, with remarkable presence for the vintage, which imparts a slightly more austere note to the finish at this stage. Blend: 60% Merlot, 36% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc, 1% Petit Verdot. Alcohol: 12.49% - pH: 3.71. IPT: 73. Yield: 35 hl/ha.

Aromatic blackberry fruits go along with black-spice scents. The wine's richness is lifted by great acidity to partner the blackberry flavors. Drink this structured second-label wine from 2026.