The 1985 Cos d'Estournel is another vintage that I have not encountered for a number of years. It is mature with wide bricking on the rim. The nose is not profound or intellectual, but it is engaging and involving with scents of warm gravel, terracotta-like scents that marry perfectly with the melted red fruit. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, crisp acidity and slightly grainy in texture. Savory in the mouth with hints of cooked meat, sage and black pepper towards the finish. This is just a Saint Est?phe that I want to drink and drink more of. This bottle constitutes the best example of the 1985 that I have encountered. Tasted at the Cos d'Estournel vertical at the property.

Neal Martin - Vinous Media (93)