{"id":21016,"date":"2021-10-25T21:47:24","date_gmt":"2021-10-25T20:47:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/cos.projet-client.com\/un-vignoble-vivant\/"},"modified":"2022-05-12T15:20:45","modified_gmt":"2022-05-12T14:20:45","slug":"un-vignoble-vivant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.estournel.com\/en\/home\/cos-chronicle\/un-vignoble-vivant\/","title":{"rendered":"An Animated Vineyard"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_custom_heading text=”A natural haven” font_container=”tag:h3|text_align:left” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_separator][vc_column_text]Cos d\u2019Estournel was named for the ancient Gascon word cos, or \u201chill of pebbles.\u201d Indeed, cultivating wine on these gravel and clay soils in a place swept by the winds of the Gironde Estuary might prove a difficult undertaking were it not for the nearby Atlantic Ocean and its tempering effect on the extreme conditions the estate experiences from one season to the next . . .<\/span><\/p>\n

The determination of the men and women of Cos and their relentlessness in coaxing out the best of a seemingly difficult environment have always been primordial. To believe that it was pure coincidence that brought Louis-Gaspard d\u2019Estournel to choose these lands would be to repudiate his faith in science and his brilliant intuition that an intimate knowledge of the geology, fauna, and flora of each plot\u2014and even each row of vines\u2014would lead to exceptional results.<\/span><\/p>\n

Since that moment, the estate\u2019s teams have remained deeply committed to respecting nature and the vineyard\u2019s environment. Beyond its cherished vines lie streams, forests, gardens, hedges, and pastures that contribute to a most precious equilibrium. Its excellent location along the shores of the Gironde Estuary and the Natura 2000 marshlands of the northern M\u00e9doc are among the characteristics that make the estate\u2019s terroir truly outstanding.<\/span>
\nNatura 2000 is a network of sites where rare and threatened species and their habitats are protected by human activity working for rather than against them, and Cos d\u2019Estournel became part of the network upon issuing grazing rights to 25 hectares of its prairies to a local breeder for his cows to graze. Nothing is spared in growing and caring for the vines in the most natural fashion possible to respect the estate\u2019s ecosystem as a whole.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”12398″ img_size=”810×810″ add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”22059″ img_size=”810×540″ add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]At Cos, a long-term vision of biodiversity prevails. A quest for an in-depth understanding of its terroir began twenty years ago with a comprehensive analysis of its soils. Planted on a single, continuous piece of land, the vineyard is tended to with utmost care. The hedges that surround it are densified and replanted whenever necessary, for they shelter it from wind and anchor its precious soils, especially at the bottom of slopes and along the edges of ditches. They also provide a place for birds to perch and nest, and these birds in turn prey on insects that might otherwise prove harmful.<\/span><\/p>\n

In the same spirit, verdant grass cover contributes to the balance of the vine and limits erosion, and herbicides have been banished from the vineyard and the walled gardens, which are crowned with the magnificent fronds of palm trees and the somber, feathery boughs of yew trees.<\/span><\/p>\n

More than 10% of the agricultural land at Cos d\u2019Estournel can be considered \u201creservoirs of biodiversity,\u201d natural havens that buzz with animal and plant life that in turn create a valuable balance for the ecosystem as a whole.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”20336″ img_size=”810×540″ add_caption=”yes” alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator color=”custom” el_width=”30″ accent_color=”#a30b34″][vc_custom_heading text=”At Cos, a long-term vision of biodiversity prevails.” font_container=”tag:h2|text_align:center” use_theme_fonts=”yes”][vc_separator color=”custom” el_width=”30″ accent_color=”#a30b34″][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]The vineyard is managed according to a commitment to sustainability. The process of obtaining the necessary certifications, including the HVE3 and ISO 14001 certifications for biodiversity and environmental management standards, drives the teams to constantly revisit and improve their methods in continuity with all the efforts that have been carried out over the years. Techniques, tools, and knowledge allow them to adapt to the requirements of the growing cycle and anticipate new developments in order to favor non-interventionist methods.<\/span><\/p>\n

Cos d\u2019Estournel embraces an ecological, highly sustainable vision in its approach to its natural surroundings and adheres to a rigorous set of standards to protect the environment and all those that inhabit it. For respecting the land, the vine, and the place where grapes grow and are transformed into wine, is primordial to crafting exceptional wines.<\/span>[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”22053″ img_size=”large” add_caption=”yes”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The vines of Cos d\u2019Estournel thrive in a meticulously balanced environment, surrounded by streams, forests, hedges, and pastures that contribute to the site\u2019s stunning biodiversity.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1749,"featured_media":21012,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[124,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-21016","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-journal-de-bord","category-article"],"acf":[],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t