Château Cos d'Estournel 1988 is a Saint-Estèphe red Bordeaux from the 1988 vintage, bottled at 750mL with a bin-soiled label as noted on the listing. The 1988 Left Bank vintage is widely cited as a classically styled year, age-worthy and drinking well from mature bottle age.
About This Wine
Cos d'Estournel's grand vin is a Cabernet Sauvignon-led blend with significant Merlot and small shares of Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, drawn from the estate's deep, well-drained gravel over clay on the Saint-Estèphe ridge. The 1988 growing season on the Left Bank was classically structured, with even ripening and moderate yields. The wine itself is intact; bin soiling affects only the label's cosmetic condition.
Tasting Profile
- Nose: Mature Left Bank claret, cedar, tobacco leaf, leather and dried blackcurrant, with tertiary notes from decades in bottle.
- Palate: Cabernet Sauvignon-led Saint-Estèphe with settled tannins, savoury dark-fruit mid-palate and the structured backbone the appellation is known for.
- Finish: Sustained and earthy, with cedar, tobacco and dried-fruit notes from long bottle age.
Serving & Food
Stand the bottle upright an hour before opening and decant gently off any sediment. Serve at 16 to 18 degrees in a Bordeaux glass alongside slow-roasted lamb or aged hard cheese.
How to Enjoy
Open at a long dinner where the bottle's mature 1988 character can anchor the meal.
Product Details
Producer: Château Cos d'Estournel
Wine: Saint-Estèphe Grand Vin
Classification: Deuxième Cru Classé (1855)
Vintage: 1988
Region: Saint-Estèphe, Bordeaux
Grape: Cabernet Sauvignon-led with Merlot
Volume: 750mL
Label Condition: Bin soiled label
Country: France
About the Château
Château Cos d'Estournel sits on the gravelly ridge of Saint-Estèphe in the northern Médoc, classified as a Deuxième Cru (Second Growth) in the 1855 Bordeaux Classification. The estate's distinctive pagoda-style fermentation chai was built by owner Louis-Gaspard d'Estournel in the early 19th century.