Goulée by Cos d'Estournel - Médoc 2018

Vinous

91 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe3/31/2021

The 2018 Goulée by Cos d'Estournel is a very pretty wine that balances fruit intensity with expressive aromatic top notes. Rose petal, mint, dried flowers, licorice and espresso lift a core of red/purplish berry fruit as this stylish, Merlot-based Médoc shows off its considerable allure. The blend is 73% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. Yields were just 33 hectoliters per hectare, as opposed to the more typical 45-50. Give it a good deal of aeration.

Wine Advocate

90 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe3/31/2021

Medium garnet-purple colored, the 2018 Goulée by Cos d'Estournel (a blend of 73% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc, aged in 20% new oak barriques), rolls effortlessly out of the glass with cheery, open-knit scents of plum preserves, boysenberries and Black Forest cake plus wafts of woodsmoke and pencil lead. The soft-textured, medium-bodied palate is bursting with juicy black fruits, lifted by a lively backbone and finishing with lovely purity.

Jeb DUNNUCK

90 / 100

byJeb Dunnuckthe3/16/2021

The 2018 Goulée By Cos D'Estournel comes from the northern Médoc (north of Saint-Estèphe) and is mostly Merlot blended with small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. The northern Médoc excelled in 2018, and readers will love this wine. Lots of black cherry and darker berry fruits as well as leafy herbs, cedarwood, and a touch of tobacco define the nose, and it's medium to full-bodied, with a plump, round, nicely texture mouthfeel, some floral notes with air, and a fresh yet balanced finish. It's the finest version of this cuvée to date and is ideal for enjoying over the coming 5-7 years.

The Wine Cellar Insider

90 / 100

byJeff Levethe3/16/2021

Medium/full-bodied, with notes of sweet cherries, licorice, cocoa and plums on the nose. Soft, round, forward and fruity, this is ready to go and will drink great for at least a decade.

Vinous

88 / 100

byNeal Martinthe3/12/2021

The 2018 Goulée by Cos d’Estournel has calmed down since I tasted it from barrel, now less showy but still displaying those red plum and kirsch aromas, with an added touch of graphite. The palate is medium-bodied with a fresh, graphite-infused entry. Not a deep Goulée, but with a little more precision on the finish than I expected. I was maybe a bit mean with my barrel score – this has turned out better than I expected.

Wine Spectator

88 / 100

byJames Molesworththe2/1/2021

Seductive, this red offers a mix of red tea, sanguine, mulled cherry and damson plum notes gliding through on a silky structure, ending with flecks of savory at the end. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc. Drink now through 2023. 8,333 cases made. –JM

Jamessuckling.com

92 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe1/19/2021

A juicy, fruity red with lots of round, chewy tannins. Tobacco and leaf undertones. It’s full and savory. Try after 2022.

Vinous

85-87 / 100

byNeal Martinthe11/15/2019

The 2018 Goulée by Cos d’Estournel has a very powerful and almost ostentatious bouquet with precocious red plum and kirsch aromas. The palate is ripe and sweet on the entry, plenty of macerated black cherries and blueberry fruit mixed with allspice and orange pith notes. It just misses a little finesse on the finish. Give it a couple of years once bottled.

Vinifera

88 /

byJacques Perrinthe5/1/2019

Robe soutenue. Nez élégant, fruits noirs et fruits rouges associés. Jolie bouche ronde, gourmande avec une belle graîcheur préservée. Il finit frais mais un peu linéaire. C'est un terroir moins argileux qu'à Cos et qui réagit plus vite au stress hydrique. 

La Revue du Vin de France

15-16 / 20

the4/24/2019

The Wine Cellar Insider

90-92 / 100

byJeff Levethe4/23/2019

Big, round, juicy and fat, with density, ripe, dark fruits, a kiss of oak, black cherry and licorice. Not refined, but it is so full of fruit, flavor and it's going to be fun to drink on release, that more than makes up for it.

Wine Advocate

90-92 / 100

byLisa Perrotti-Brownthe4/23/2019

Composed of 73% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc, aging in 20% new barriques, the 2018 Goulée by Cos d'Estournel (13.71% alcohol) is deep garnet-purple colored and bursts from the glass with expressive baked black cherries, warm plums and blackberry pie scents followed by nuances of cinnamon, gingerbread and chocolate mint plus a waft of hoisin. The medium to full-bodied palate is sporting a lot of firm, grainy tannins with a lively line lifting the generous fruit to a long, spicy finish.

Jamessuckling.com

92-93 / 100

byJames Sucklingthe4/12/2019

A juicy and flavorful Goulée with dark berries, hazelnuts and hints of cedar. Medium to full body, firm tannins and a bright finish.

Jean-Marc QUARIN

89 / 100

byJean-Marc Quarinthe4/8/2019

Decanter.com

91 / 100

byJane Ansonthe4/2/2019

Harvested between 19 September and 6 October, they chose to pick just a touch earlier than they could have done to be sure to avoid over-concentration. The mildew symptoms really only began in July, and the flowering had been good, so although it was stressful they escaped with reasonable yields of 33hl/ha. Ripeness meant that the characters of the two grape varieties almost merged together, but there were no overly dry grapes so they avoided a cooked fruit character in the wine. This is very silky, full of blackberry fruit with touches of cigar smoke and cedar. The tannins are also silky, with a touch of menthol on the finish. This should be approachable within the next five years.

Vinous

90-92 / 100

byAntonio Gallonithe4/1/2019

The Goulée by Cos d'Estournel is fabulous. Dark cherry, plum, licorice, espresso and grilled herbs all meld together effortlessly. The interplay of lifted floral/savory notes and dense fruit makes for a striking, absolutely alluring wine. Quite simply, the 2018 is one of the best versions of this Haut-Médoc I can remember tasting. Goulée has all the potential to be a real overachiever. The blend is 73% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Cabernet Franc. Yields were just 33 hectoliters per hectare, as opposed to the more typical 45-50. Tasted two times.