Andrew Jefford | Deep, dark black-red. The aromas, here, are more redcurrant and raspberry than blackcurrant, and there is some floral interest, as well as a little oatmeal cream. It’s an infinitely prettier wine than the rather ungainly Pagodes this year, though there are none of the deep, provocative fruits you can find in the Montrose. The aromatic profile will show as a little bit light and tenuous in a Cos vertical, I suspect, though there is still detail, charm, and refinement here. On the palate, it has been very well crafted and indeed exceeds the expectations generated by the aromatic profile (which may improve with time in any case). If you find the Montrose a little craggy this year, then check out Cos: It has a milkier, softer ripeness and perhaps slightly fatter tannins. For all that, it is still not a dense or closely knitted wine, and there is not much inner ease or amplitude or cascading expressiveness to the style of Cos’s 2015 ripeness. If the aromatic profile comes out of its shell, expect this score to match that of Montrose. | 92

Michael Schuster | fine, subtle, Cabernet-fruit nose, persistent, gravelly, aromatic; elegantly balanced medium-full wine, fresh, finely tannic, complete and fine. Ripe yet dry in flavor, mineral-complexity infused, long and aromatic across the palate; refined, complete, stylish, and very long in aftertaste. A beautifully complete claret, absolutely no suggestion of a “rain-weakened/diluted” vintage here. This is really beautiful Cos. You could drink it now, but that would be a pity. Give it a decade for real pleasure, but this is a great northern Médoc in the 2015 vintage. Absolutely beautiful. 2025–50+. | 95