Continuing our ‘Meet the Château’ series, we head to the Left Bank – to the far north of the Médoc – to explore Château Cos d’Estournel in Saint-Estèphe. Part of our ground-breaking Bordeaux Collection, Cos d’Estournel is one of only two Second Growths in the appellation from the 1855 Classification.

Saint-Estèphe

According to Jane Anson in her masterful ‘Inside Bordeaux’ book, the wines of Saint-Estèphe tend to be “rich and robust, with strong tannins that confer long ageing potential. The commune is often particularly successful in hot vintages like 2003 and 2009, as the soils maintain freshness.”

The AOC of Saint-Estèphe is the most northerly, and most remote, of the four main communes of the Médoc, comprising 7.5% of the Médoc vineyard. Located on the edge of the Gironde estuary, not far from the Atlantic Ocean, Saint-Estèphe experiences a pronounced maritime climate, which helps to moderate the weather excesses in both winter and summer.

In the vineyards

The origin of the name Cos, meaning ‘hill of pebbles’ in old Gascon, perfectly reflects the location. As Jane notes, Cos has slopes that are as well-drained as neighbouring Lafite’s across the valley, with a plateau at 23m. “The vines – on peyrosol gravels over clay subsoils – lie in almost a single stretch around the estate.”

Today, the 100ha of Cos d’Estournel are made up of a mosaic of plots bordering the Gironde estuary. With an average age of 45 years for the vines, some are as old as 80 to over 100 years. The Grand Vin de Cos d’Estournel is made with grapes from vines that are 55 years old on average.

“Huge amounts of work have been done in recent years, under Michel Reybier’s ownership,” Jane writes. Various soil-studies, with 20 different types of soils found, have led to increasing plot-by-plot vineyard work, with intra-plot harvesting and a greater focus on Cabernet Sauvignon as a result. This grape forms at least three-quarters of the main blend; in the vineyard it’s at 65%, with 30% Merlot, 2,5% Cabernet Franc and 2,5% Petit Verdot.

At Cos d’Estournel, protecting the precious terroir and environment is paramount, and this is achieved using the best tools and the most appropriate know-how, with a focus on preventative rather than a curative approach.

The cellars

Founded by Louis Gaspard d’Estournel, after inheriting the property in 1791, it was his taste and love for India, and his expeditions and wine shipments to this exotic destination, that have shaped this château’s iconic oriental inspiration and façade.

Owner of Cos d’Estournel since 2000, Michel Reybier is an entrepreneur who cultivates simplicity and discretion. With Angélique Vigouroux as Cellar Master and Dominique Arangoïts the Technical Director, they have completed a new, fully gravity-fed cellar. From the arrival of the grapes to the bottling of the wine, the entire process takes place without the use of a pump, and the entire cellar has been fitted out to meet the conditions of this gravity system.

The wines

“From 2010 onwards, Cos is fully at the top of its game, delivering a powerful but delicious wine that ripples with complexity and majors on slate, liquorice, graphite and cassis flavours,” Jane writes.

We currently have the below Cos d’Estournel wines available in the Bordeaux Collection:

• Chateau Cos d’Estournel 2012
• Pagodes de Cos 2006
• Goulée by Cos d’Estournel Rouge 2016

Keep an eye on our ever-changing Fine Wine List, subscribe to our weekly newsletter and get in touch with the team for any special requests at finewinetrade@bibendum.co.uk.