Jean Guillaume Prats leaves Chateau Cos d'Estournel!!!

[Jeff Leve]

This is big news all over Bordeaux today!

http://www.thewinecellarinsider.com/201 ... king-news/

[stefan]

Thanks, Jeff. That is indeed shocking news.

Unfortunately, I don't imagine that the news will send the price of Cos down.

[JonoB]

Indeed that is huge news.

It will be intriguing to see how both he and Cos moves from here on in.

[DavidG]

So what's he going to do next?

[mike reff]

And who is taking the reins???

[Ramon_NYC]

And who is taking the reins???

Looking forward more to knowing whoever is taking the reins. Not a fan of Cos wines in the 2000s and hopefully will get back on track with the new guy.

[RDD]

Enquiring minds want to know why??????????????
Seems a sudden and drastic decission.

[JimHow]

Wasn't this inevitable sooner or later after the family sold the property?

[RDD]

Wasn't this inevitable sooner or later after the family sold the property?

I would think so too. Seems it would have been a smoother transition.
Yet Prats had just developed an elaborate gravity fed and preciely controlled fermentation process (according to article).
Seems he had a love of making wines.
Maybe a disagreement about the wine?
Of course this is all just idle speculation............

[Houndsong]

So what's he going to do next?

I heard he's following his dreams of becoming an investment banker. Lucky guy.

[Comte Flaneur]

Resigning was the honourable thing to do after his 2009.

Let's hope this estate goes back to making proper Bordeaux.

[Jeff Leve]

The news became official today that Jean Guillaume Prats will move to LVMH group as CEO of Maison Estates & Wines in February 2013. He will also be a member of the Moet Henessy operation Comity.

[manton]

What's the problem with the 09 Cos?

[Jeff Leve]

What's the problem with the 09 Cos?

There isn't any. It's a matter of personal taste. Having tasted in half a dozen times from barrel and bottle, IMO, it's a future legendary Bordeaux wine that will be considered one of the great wines of all time. Others, while they are in the minority have a different take.

You can read my notes here: www.thewinecellarinsider.com/?page_id=243

[manton]

OK, let me rephrase that. What are people SAYING about the 2009 Cos that caused such a stink that the winemaker felt he had to resign?

[Tom In DC]

I think folks are baiting you, manton - the 2009 Cos d'E gets 100 point from Bob Parker, so lots of folks seem to fail over to a knee-jerk reaction that it cannot be any good.

[manton]

Funny, my Parker radar is all over the map. The other night I had a 100 point RP wine, the 1990 Montrose. I completely mis-identified it because I assumed it had to be in a different style to have gotten 100 points from Parker, when in fact it was far more balanced and harmonious (and ready to drink!) than I had expected.

In the past I have tasted some CA Cabs with very high scores from him that I thought were totally over-ripe and overwrought. And, my first truly great wine experience 20 year ago--1982 Brane Cantenac--he gave a paltry 87 when I was blown away by it.

[AlexR]

I tasted the 2009 Cos from barrel. It was atypical, very concentrated and more powerful than elegant.
Seemed to be a departure from the château's traditional style.
14.6% alc./vol.

I thought it overdone, but, of course, time could prove me wrong...

Alex R.

[DavidG]

Parker has a more diverse palate than some would attribute to him. Yes he scores ripe, fruit-forward wines very highly if they are balanced (his definition, not everyone's). But he also will score traditionally-styled wines very highly as well. He does have his limits, however. Don't get him started on the natural wine movement or the low fruit/high acid/all elegant terroir path.

[JonoB]

I didn't enjoy the 09 or the 10 but I felt the 10 was better in terms of balance.
Nothing wrong with either and they aren't reason he resigned.

However, in terms of style, since Bruno Prats stopped, there has been a slow migration northwards into the riper fuller style from Cos, despite some great wines such as the 05, that is pretty obvious when you put two wines side by side. 01 vs 96 Pagodes is a good example of this. Perhaps the style will change but perhaps it won't.

Only time will tell. Whenever I have met JEan-Guillaume he has been perfectly amicable but clearly more interested in those who he felt would bring in more cash... i.e. make sure you EP appointment doesn't coincide with a group from China or Hong Kong, unless you want to chat with the fairly pretty servers! :p