Winery: Chateau Cos D'Estournel

Country / Region: France / Bordeaux / Saint Estephe

Date Winery was established: 1810

Grape Variety: Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot

Alcohol Content / Volume: 13% / 750ml

First Vintage released: 1850

Ratings: 95 pts. Robert Parker

Decanting Time: Decant for at least 1 hour. Serve at 12 - 15°C

Our suggestion for decanting time is based on bottles we tried at Txanton in 2025. We guarantee that Txanton stocks are imported and maintained in proper storage within the correct temperature and humidity suitable for wine.

Good to Know: In old Gascon, "cos" means "hill of pebbles." Chateau Cos d'Estournel's soils possess deep Quaternary gravels and clay situated on a bedrock of limestone. The property covers 91 hectares (225 acres) of which, 60 percent of the vines planted are of the Cabernet Sauvignon varietal and the rest Merlot. The chateau is located in the very southern edge of Saint-Estèphe, bordered to the south by Chateau Lafite Rothschild of Pauillac. Classified as a 2eme or 2nd growth chateau by the 1855 Bordeaux classification, Chateau Cos d'Estournel continues to remain as one of the most prestigious and highly sought after wines worldwide.

Inherited by Louis Gaspard d'Estournel in 1791, massive construction and renovation soon ensued. Ever the innovator, Louis Gaspard experimented with several grape varietals as well as introducing several winemaking innovations including the use of glass stoppers. Curious and eventually obsessed by the east, Louis Gaspard was eventually drawn to Asia where British officers began enjoying his wines as early as 1838. Enamored by the architectural wonders of India and the Far East, he began including oriental designs such as pagodas and elephants into his estate. An enigmatic figure with an obsession for the orient, Louis Gaspard d'Estournel eventually earned the nickname The Maharajah of Saint Estephe.