Château Cos d’Estournel
An Indian palace in the heart of Saint-Estèphe
Château Cos d’Estournel is a winery located in the Médoc, in AOC Saint-Estèphe on a land planted with vines since Roman times. It is surrounded by illustrious neighbors such as Château Lafite-Rothschild or Chateau Montrose.
Cos d’Estournel has a unique and special history in Bordeaux. The property was drawn up following a legacy of plots in 1797 by Louis-Joseph Gaspard Lacoste Maniban Marquis d’Estournel. In 1811 realizing the full potential of some local vineyards he acquired it and decided to extend the property by buying some of the most beautiful parcels of vines bordering the property and make wine under the name of Cos d’Estournel.
Being a man of passion and falling in love with Cos he spent many years traveling around the world to promote his wine “where are the great people of this world.” So he allowed the wines of Cos to be present on many prestigious royal tables in India, China or Europe.
Having a strong ego and not wanting to sell their wine through a merchant he held from 1820 to itself bottling and labeling his wines under his name. He was one of the first in the Medoc bottle under his name. “If I want to make a great wine it should have my name”
He returned from his distant travels with a real love for the Eastern culture that led him in 1830 to build the Pagodas to the castle and developing an Indian palace dedicated to wine. For the first time in the Medoc a château was built focused on the wine-making and not just as a house. These constructions and his love for the orient quickly earned him the nickname “Maharajah of Saint-Estèphe.”
In 1852, under the weight of its accumulated debt to build, develop, promote and beautify Cos d’Estournel, he had to sell the property to his banker. He could even finish all his days to the property where he died in 1853 just two years before the consecration of his work, with the classification of Château Cos d’Estournel to the rank of 2nd Cru Classé of Saint-Estèphe in 1855.
In 2000 Château Cos d’Estournel was bought by Michel Reybier, a French entrepreneur, who also owns several luxury hotels. Upon his arrival he enrolled in the continuity of the vision of Louis Gaspard d’Estournel promoting quality and investment in production facilities.
” Michel Reybier gives us his unconditional support ; for him the important thing is the quality of our wines. After a colossal background work made in the vineyard, Mr. Reybier asked what do they need to magnify the soil? This conversation is followed with a completely new renovation project for the vinification cellars with the creation of the first Bordeaux winery operating at 100% by gravity.
The cellar is the essential technical tool to express the closer the nuances of our land. At Cos d’Estournel we have the chance to be on an exceptional terroir located at the entrance of Saint-Estèphe, on a gravel (deep gravel) plateau deep,and 2 slopes with different exposures (South East and South West). So we have different soils/terroirs and microclimate that bring uniqueness and incredible complexity of our wines.
Reybier Michel is a man of passion, a contractor to the requirement that quality is essential. It has a long-term vision for Cos d’Estournel … With Michel Reybier this is a bit of history of Louis Gaspard d’Estournel is repeated. “(Aymeric De Gironde)
An unique architecture that participates in the myth of Cos d’Estournel
The property was built as an Indian palace architecture, the buildings were enriched throughout the history of symbols reflecting the commitment of the property to the eastern culture.
Indeed outside the palaces and pagodas property welcomes its visitors with a driveway lined with two elephants with their fallopian tubes removed. This animal is a very powerful symbol with many values in many civilizations. It is a symbol of welcome, hospitality but also memory, history, strength and power.
The front of the property for its hosts is a studded wooden door (anti-elephant nails!) Coming straight from the palace of the Sultan of Zanzibar. Other multi-old doors from India are also visible on site.
The only downside in all of this, the water stone which is neo-classical style castle. It remains nice and offers a view overlooking part of the vineyards of Saint-Estèphe and on the estuary of the Gironde.
For the lucky ones, who will visit the property you will see that within the east and also the “colonial India” years are strongly present.
Where does the name of Château Cos d’Estournel come from?
Cos is the name of the place and said means hill Pebble Gascon, “which makes sense because this is where we make the best wines for centuries” (Aymeric de Gironde).
Concerning the word « Estournel », of course this name comes from the founder of the property.
Focus on Aymeric de Gironde, CEO of Château Cos d’Estournel
Video Fr & En
“I come from a family of winemakers present in the Cognac vineyards beginning in 1800 or for 8 generations. I’ve always been interested in the vine, it is a passion that came very early, I learned to cut, driving a tractor, served from a very young age.
I studied commerce at Bordeaux, during which I met with players in the world of wine, this time I told myself that one day I’d like to work in this sector. In 1997 I went to New York to work in the distribution of cognac, champagne and Italian wines.
The return of the United States after five years, I worked for the house of Champagne Krug. But I always kept the desire to return to Bordeaux and work in a famous chateau.
By chance, I encountered with Christian Seely who hired me to take the commercial management properties ‘AXA Millésime’ whose flagship is Pichon Longueville Baron. After 6 years Michel Reybier gave me the opportunity to take the direction of Chateau Cos d’Estournel. I did not hesitate for a second because for me it is one of the finest properties in the world for its wines and its history. “(Aymeric de Gironde)
What best defines the philosophy of Cos d’Estounel ?
“Emotion, the soil, the requirement and men
When I speak of Cos d’Estournel in the world I always talk about the terroir and the people who work, they are the pillar of our property. We have in our team some working families for several generations Cos. Our current Chief Culture Sementery Michel, was born on the property, he is son and grandson of wine workers and we just hired his son who also never imagined work other than Cos. ” (Aymeric de Gironde)
How to recognize the wines of Château Cos d’Estournel during a blind taste ?
“At the balance between power and elegance that is quite characteristic wines Cos d’Estournel. But there not only that there is also a great aromatic concentration. We always have a spicy side such as white pepper for young wines. As we age we find spices richer, more intense. Our wines always have great minerality that is expressed by a graphite side. Cos d’Estournel is also a perfect balance between Cabernet and Merlot.” (Aymeric de Gironde)
The story of the week: the women plot
One of the many pieces of Cos d’Estournel has the sweet name of “land of women.” This is because it was planted in 1914 by women, while men were mobilized to go to war (World War 1).
Thanks to Aymeric de Gironde for his warm welcome.
Jonathan Choukroun Chicheportiche
