93 points,

James Suckling, jamessuckling.com, April 2012

Very dense and structured with spices, currants and berries and an underlying spiciness. Full body, with chewy tannins and a fresh finish. Structured. Firm. Slightly hollow center palate. Excellent considering the difficulty St. Estephe had with hail and early harvesting.

93 -95 points,

Neal Martin's Wine Journal, April 2012

A blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc cropped at 36hl/ha, the 2011 has a pleasant, sedate bouquet that is well defined, perhaps missing a little tension and animation, but replete with succulent blackberry, cassis and violets aromas that render it light and feminine. The palate is medium-bodied with grippy, slightly furry tannins on the entry. The acidity it keen and citric, lending this more vigour than Montrose, whilst the finish has fine precision and length. Jean-Guillaume has fashioned a very fine Saint Estèphe for the vintage. Tasted April 2012.

Neil Mechanic, JJ Buckley, April 2012

65% cabernet sauvignon, 30% merlot and 5% cabernet franc. The earliest harvest since 1893, picking began on Sep 5 and ended Sep 16. Only 30% of the total production made it into the grand vin, resulting in the smallest case production on two decades. Concentrated, opaque color at core and rim. The moderately intense bouquet is dominated by earth and mineral aromas and rounded out with vibrant blackberry and kirsch flavors. A beautiful seasoning of dried herbs, licorice, and tapenade flavors add layers of complexity with a hint of graphite and lead pencil forming the foundation of the palate. Showing some good vibrancy, the palate is medium bodied with fruit that maintains freshness and liveliness thanks to the balanced acidity. Spicy tannins are full but linear on the finish. Give this one five years in bottle and enjoy through 2030.

90 -92 points,

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, April 2012

Because of a smaller than normal crop as well as the elimination of vineyard parcels devastated by the hail storm of September 1, production for Cos d'Estournel in 2011 is the smallest since 1991. Production for the 2011 Cos d'Estournel (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot and 5% Cabernet Franc that achieved 13.5% natural alcohol) is about 30% of their normal volume. An outstanding effort, this deep ruby/purple-colored wine exhibits notes of lead pencil shavings, black currants, boysenberries, cedar and earth. Made in a traditional style with more acidity and noticeable tannin than in recent years, this medium-bodied, pure 2011 should drink nicely for 15+ years.

90 -93 points,

Wine Spectator, April 2012

Lilac and violet aromas quickly give way to dark toasted spice and black tea notes, followed by remarkably creamy-textured cassis and plum compote flavors, all offset beautifully by a hint of bitter cherry and tamarind on the finish. There's a saturated feel that shows no hard edges. A touch languid rather than driven, but this wine tends to put on weight and gain greater focus as it ages. Tasted non-blind.-J.M.

Shipping Details

This item ships in November 2014

Need it faster? Call us now at (888) 859-4637 for special arrangements.

Free storage available. We offer free 6 months storage for any wine purchased at JJ Buckley. We highly recommend storing your wines during the summer months to avoid heat damage during shipment.

For a shipping quote, add this product to your shopping cart. From there you will be able to enter a zipcode and get a detailed quote. For full details on our shipping policies, click here.