Château Cos d’Estournel 2025 is the grand vin of this Second Growth (1855) Saint-Estèphe estate, built on a classic Médoc frame but with the house’s trademark polish. The blend is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 39% Merlot and 1% Petit Verdot, and several reviewers note unusually early picking: Jane Anson reports a harvest from September 3–19, while Decanter calls September 3 “our earliest ever,” quoting technical director Dominique Arangoits.

Critical reception is notably strong, with several excellent reviews at the top of the en primeur range. The Wine Independent went as high as 98–100 points, calling it “intense and fruity… with a strong and powerful structure,” and warning it “would need considerable cellar time, 7–9 years before being approachable.” The Drinks Business (98–100) describes an “ethereal” Cos with “great density and a sensation of viscosity that is rare in the vintage.” Vinous’s Antonio Galloni (96–99) goes further, writing that “even in the very early going, the 2025 is magical… A masterpiece,” praising “magnificent balance.”

Aromatic signatures repeat across tasters: dark berries, graphite and spice. William Kelley for Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate (96–98) highlights a “deep bouquet of dark berry fruit… violets, pencil shavings, burning embers and anise,” and notes it is “full-bodied, ample and velvety” in “very classical proportions.” James Suckling (98–99) emphasizes both mass and restraint: “A density to this, yet it remains balanced and complex,” with “velvety tannins” and a “persistent and reserved” finish.

In structure, multiple notes point to freshness and control rather than overt ripeness. Decanter finds it “refined but well built and definitely not overripe,” while Anson calls it “a little austere right now,” suggesting the firm tannins and dark fruit are set up to broaden with age. Jeff Leve (97–99) advises patience and a long runway, recommending drinking from 2030 to 2065.