A beautiful wine with 13.4% natural alcohol, this blend of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, and 3% Cabernet Franc possesses a deep ruby/purple color as well as a sweet perfume of cassis, incense, charcoal, and subtle oak, round, generously endowed flavors, medium to full body, silky tannin, and surprising depth and length. It can be drunk now and over the next 12-15 years.

The 2007 Cos d'Estournel is blended of 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot and 3% Cabernet Franc. It has a deep garnet-brick color and the nose reveals quite a lot of evolution—more than the previous six vintages tasted before it in this tasting—with notes of prunes, figs, chargrill and dried herbs plus hints of raisin cake, leather, balsamic and incense. Medium-bodied, refreshing and mature in the mouth, it delivers a good concentration of savory/spicy flavors and an herbal lift on the finish. It should remain at this evolutionary plateau for the next decade, before it begins to decline.

Fresh mushroom on the nose, with dark fruits and berries. Full-bodied, with soft, velvety tannins and a rich, fruity finish. Balanced and pretty, with lovely length. Best after 2012. 22,000 cases made. -JS

Dense purple-red, full, plummy, smoky, fleshy, spicy, exotic fruit, with more firmness than usual from the 85% Cabernet Sauvignon, about as ripe as you could get this vintage with fine length and potential complexity.