This is our last day in Bordeaux with a visit to the Medoc Region.
Cos d’Estournel
In 1791, Louis Joseph Gaspard
Lacoste of Maniban, Marquis of Estournel, inherits at 29 years old of the
family property located in the southern part of Saint-Estèphe, at a place
called Cos.
From the 1830s, he builds one
of the most extraordinary cellars of the Medoc, topped with Chinese pagodas and
with a carved door from India. The marquis was in fact a great connoisseur of
the Orient with which he traded.
Thanks to the passion of its successive owners, and now
belonging to the Reybier family Cos d'Estournel, becomes over the years first
property of Saint-Estèphe, and continues to benefit from considerable
investments to further improve its quality.
The new winery, built in the
late 2000s, is unique in the world: it is entirely gravity-based, using
lift-tanks instead of pumps, and it has 72 frustoconical and isothermal
stainless-steel vats, thus enabling rigorous parceling and total respect of the
product.
COS D’ESTOURNEL 2020 (Cabernet Sauvignon: 62% ; Merlot : 38%)
COS
D’ESTOURNEL 2016 (Cabernet Sauvignon: 76%; Merlot: 23%; Cabernet Franc: 1%)
COS PAGODAS 2020 (Cabernet Sauvignon
: 58%; Merlot: 34%; Cabernet Franc: 4% ; Petit Verdot: 4%)
G D'ESTOURNEL 2020 (Merlot : 90% ; Cabernet Sauvignon:
10%)
WHITE COS PAGODAS 2018 (Sauvignon Blanc:
93%; Semillon: 7%)
Lunch at Café Lavinal
Café Lavinal is inspired by of
the cafes of the 1930s, with its red moleskin benches, its zinc bar and its
imposing chandelier. This warm and friendly bistro offers traditional and tasty
market cuisine made with local products. This Parisian-style bistro has a much
relaxed ambiance and an excellent wine list. In the summer, its sunny terrace
is appreciated for its view and its location. The food is French and southern European, with
numerous lighter options and is all delivered with a panache rarely found in
the region.
Chateau Lynch Bages
Chateau Lynch Bages takes its
name from the old hamlet of Bages where lived generations of winegrowers. Today
and since the 1930s, the Château is run by the Cazes family, currently with
Sylvie and Jean-Charles Cazes in charge. Chateau Lynch Bages just finished a
several year renovation program of its technical facilities - a project
entrusted to the architect Chien Chung Pei, known for his many achievements. Many
innovations in the continuity of the history of Lynch-Bages. The gravitational
principle has been preserved in the new installations, as a nod to the historic
vat house of the property, dating from the 19th century and designed by
Skawinski, which will find its place in the middle of the future installations.
Wines Tasted:
ChateauHaut Batailley 2018 (59% Cabernet Sauvignon ; 41% Merlot)
ChateauOrmes de Pez 2016 (
Chateau Lynch Bage 2014 (69% Cabernet Sauvignon ; 26% Merlot ; 3% Cabernet Franc ; 2% Petit Verdot)
Private reception at Chateau Gruaud Larose
Since its creation, in 1725,
four families have succeeded one another at the head of Gruaud Larose: the
Gruaud and Larose families, the Balguerie and Sarget families, the Cordier
family and the Merlaut family. This family attachment has been passed on to the
employees who often work at the chateau from father to son and from mother to
daughter.
The vineyard stretches over 82
hectares of gravely soil overlaying calcareous clay which gives a fine wine
with character. As a result, it was classified « Second Grand Cru » in 1855.
Throughout the centuries, Chateau Gruaud Larose has managed
to impose a perfect balance between nature and the consideration of man’s work
in its quest for excellence. The estate’s motto is “The King of Wines and the
Wine of Kings”.
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