Location and Terroir
Château Cos d'Estournel is located at the entrance to Saint-Estèphe in the northern Médoc, between the Gironde estuary and the Atlantic. The estate stretches across a gently undulating landscape with a deep gravel plateau and two adjoining hills aligned to the east and south-southwest. The soils include deep gravel, clay, clay-limestone and a layer of clay running through the winegrowing area. A soil study from 2001 identified almost twenty different soil varieties.
Climate and Vineyards
The oceanic climate softens winter cold and summer heat. Prevailing winds reduce moisture in the vineyards and support healthy ripening. The area under vines covers 100 hectares; the vines have an average age of 45 years. Some of the oldest vines date back to the early 20th century; their plant material is used for mass selection to propagate new vines.
The grape varieties and farming methods are adapted parcel by parcel to soil, orientation, vine age and quality. The vineyard is made up of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, 3% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Cabernet Sauvignon grows on the higher parts of the plateau, while Merlot is planted on clay-limestone soils oriented to the east. The estate is in the process of converting to organic viticulture.
Wines and Cellar
The wines of Cos d'Estournel are characterised by concentration, freshness, mineral notes, supple tannins and aromatic complexity; the profile varies according to the vintage. Vinification is carried out parcel by parcel in a gravity-fed cellar built in 2008.
History
Louis-Gaspard d'Estournel inherited Cos and Pomys in 1791 and increased the area under vine from 14 to 45 hectares. To finance debts, he sold the estate temporarily and later bought it back. Since 2000, Château Cos d'Estournel has been owned by Michel Reybier. The château is classified as a Deuxième Cru in the 1855 Bordeaux classification and therefore forms part of the Bordeaux winegrowing region in France.
