1990 Cos d'Estournel, St Estèphe, Bordeaux

Cos d`Estournel is named after its 19th century owner, Louis-Gaspard d'Estournel, and it was he who built the bizarre oriental edifice that is a landmark for any tourist in the Médoc. Today Cos is without doubt the leading estate in St Estéphe. The grand vin is typically a blend of 60 percent Cabernet Sauvignon, 38 percent Merlot and two percent Cabernet Franc – but do not be fooled by the relatively high Merlot content, as these are full-bodied, dark, brooding tannic wines when young which develop a complexity and intensity that can rival many top growths from Pauillac.

This seductive Cos from the superb 1990 vintage contains around 40 percent Merlot in the blend. This makes for a forward style of Cos, packed with succulent, ripe dark fruit flavours, soft yet powerful tannins and a full-bodied palate.