The Memory of Vines

Cos d’Estournel’s ancient vines are its most precious legacy, a living memory of passing seasons and previous harvests that offers a singular, incisive understanding of the terroir in which they are rooted. The older the vines, the deeper they run underground, and the greater their ability to adapt to their environment and regulate their water supplies.

These deep-lying roots enable their vines to “read” and interpret the terroir with precision so they may adjust, year after year, decade after decade, to the soil in which they grow and to the estate’s climate, at times extreme. These ancient vines are a unique natural legacy that the estate’s teams must continue to preserve, regardless of their low yields and the fact that they are quite costly to maintain.

To renew the vineyard while perpetuating its heritage for future generations and guaranteeing the longevity of the singular style of the estate’s wines, these invaluable specimens are used to grow new vine plants. This massal selection is essential to preserving the long, rich heritage of Cos d’Estournel.

Indeed, the fruit borne by these venerable vines are much more than simple grapes. They incarnate the authentic identity of the estate and play a fundamental role in the final blend of the estate’s grand vin. This is true of the grapes grown on the “Parcelle des Femmes,” or “Ladies’ Plot.” Planted in 1915, they are an essential component of the grand vin.

To highlight the exceptional quality of the berries produced by these century-old vines, Cos d’Estournel created the extraordinary COS100 using only merlot grapes harvested in 2015 on this very singular plot.

COS100 is an intimate glimpse into the soul of Cos d’Estournel, a wine that magnificently expresses the wealth and complexity of the estate’s carefully preserved vines, a well-deserved tribute to their inimitable qualities.