CHÂTEAU COS D'ESTOURNEL

The Cos d'Estournel vineyard currently extends over 91 hectares. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes - 60% of the vineyard - find their preferred growing soil on the thin gravel of the summits and southern slopes. Merlot - 40% of the vineyard - thrives on the eastern slopes and the hillsides where the limestone bedrock of Saint-Estèphe is exposed. The percentage of Cabernet... Read more

The Cos d'Estournel vineyard currently extends over 91 hectares. The Cabernet Sauvignon grapes - 60% of the vineyard - find their preferred growing soil on the thin gravel of the summits and southern slopes. Merlot - 40% of the vineyard - thrives on the eastern slopes and the hillsides where the limestone bedrock of Saint-Estèphe is exposed. The percentage of Cabernet and Merlot in each vintage blend varies dependent on the year's weather conditions as they favour one grape or the other. To achieve lignous growth and lower yields on each rootstock that leads to the wine's "great flavour", the plantation is dense - 8,000 to 10,000 rootstocks per hectare depending on the parcel - and their average age is about 35 years. Wine carrying the name of Château Cos d'Estournel is only produced from rootstock of over 20 years.