An exceptional terroir
.............................................................................................................................
- THE GEOLOGY -
In the old Gascon language, the word 'Cos' means 'The Hill of Pebbles'. And as a matter of fact, the hill of Cos, which is situated on the banks of the Gironde, is an impressive accumulation of Quaternary gravel wrested from the distant mountains of the Massif Central and the Pyrenees and laid on Saint-Estèphe's limestone bed when the primeval river receded.
Shaped into well drained slopes by the erosion, these exceptionally deep layers of gravel are a true geological curiosity and also one of the world's most precious Terroir, for it forces the old vines planted on its heights to thrust their roots into the arid soil.
These are these extended roots that slow down the flow of sap, concentrating then the juice and giving the wine of Cos such an individual taste.
- THE GEOGRAPHY AND THE WEATHER CONDITIONS -
Between Pauillac and Saint-Estèphe, separated from Château Lafite by the stream known as La Jalle du Breuil (The Breuil Brook), the hill of Cos dominates the Gironde from the height of almost 65 feet.
Bordered westward by the Atlantic ocean and eastward by the Gironde, the vineyard of Cos d'Estournel benefits from a micro-climate. The micro-climate acts like a temperature regulator, thus avoiding extreme temperatures.
