Founded in 1811 on a gravelly hillside in Saint-Estèphe, Château Cos d’Estournel was shaped into the renowned estate it is known as today by the Marquis d’Estournel, Louis Gaspard Lacoste de Maniban, nicknamed the “Maharajah of Saint Estèphe.” Louis Gaspard was known for his innovative spirit and introduced a number of technical improvements to the winemaking practices, such as the use of glass stoppers, and experimentation with new grape varietals. He traveled to remote locales to personally open up his wine to markets in places like India, and found that sea travel provided excellent aging conditions for the wine.

Known for producing cuvées with characteristic aromatic complexity, the diverse soil and oceanic climate and natural ventilation provides perfect conditions for winegrowing. The estate was classified a Second-Growth in 1855, and its architectural style, designed in traditional Bordeaux style with modern touches and Asian influences, nods to the founder’s visionary mindset. Continuing with this philosophy, in 2008, the current owner, Michel Reybier, built the first Bordeaux cellar working purely with gravity.