{"id":66906,"date":"2024-11-12T13:33:43","date_gmt":"2024-11-12T12:33:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.estournel.com\/?p=66906\/"},"modified":"2024-11-15T11:04:14","modified_gmt":"2024-11-15T10:04:14","slug":"redefining-elevage","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.estournel.com\/en\/home\/cos-chronicle\/redefining-elevage\/","title":{"rendered":"Redefining \u00e9levage"},"content":{"rendered":"

[vc_row css_animation=”fadeInDown”][vc_column][vc_column_text el_class=”custom-intro”]<\/p>\n

A<\/span>lthough it is sometimes criticized for excessively marking certain wines, \u00e9levage in 225-liter Bordeaux barrels is a crucial moment in crafting the wines of Cos d\u2019Estournel. Finding the right balance is key.<\/p>\n

[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row css_animation=”fadeInDown”][vc_column][vc_single_image image=”66907″ img_size=”800×600″ alignment=”center” css_animation=”fadeInDown”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]As climate change brings riper vintages, \u00e9levage requires infinite precision. For Dominique Arango\u00efts, Technical Director at Cos d\u2019Estournel, considering the evolution of the ripening process is primordial, especially when it comes to the estate\u2019s Cabernet Sauvignon: \u201cForty years ago, the tannins in M\u00e9doc wines were livelier on the palate and needed more wood to become supple. Today, wines are accessible earlier on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Does that mean today\u2019s wines have less aging potential than their predecessors?[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_custom_heading text=”\u201cIt\u2019s not that simple,\u201d he nuances. \u201cThe 1982 vintage was extremely ripe for its time. Many thought it wouldn\u2019t stand the test of time.\u201d” font_container=”tag:h2|font_size:24|text_align:center”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_column_text]But time has since proven they were wrong! Indeed, wines may be more accessible young, but they remain adapted to long cellaring thanks to the process of \u00e9levage, which constitutes \u201ca preparation for aging.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]Breathe in, breathe out: the secrets of micro-oxygenation<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The impact of oxygen on the tannins in wine is essential. This is where the barrel comes in, for wood is porous and allows wine to come into contact with oxygen, which in turn stabilizes the color of the wine and softens its tannins, preparing it for the aging process and increasing its cellaring potential.<\/p>\n

The barrel offers another advantage, according to Dominique: \u201cIt is a powerful decanting tool: because it is a small container, sediments settle more quickly at the bottom.\u201d The separation of the wine from its lees during racking increases contact between wine and oxygen. At Cos d\u2019Estournel, the wine is racked through the bunghole without pumping, and the estate\u2019s gravity-flow facilities make it possible to leverage the barrel\u2019s potential to the fullest.[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”66991″ img_size=”500×600″ alignment=”center” css_animation=”fadeInDown”][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row][vc_column][vc_separator][\/vc_column][\/vc_row][vc_row content_placement=”middle”][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_single_image image=”66913″ img_size=”500×600″ alignment=”center”][\/vc_column][vc_column width=”1\/2″][vc_column_text]Gravity at the heart of \u00e9levage<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

The estate\u2019s gravity-flow cellars were built in 2008 with the aim of achieving purity and precision while preserving the fruitiness of the estate\u2019s wines. Barrels with light toast\u2014which offer a more delicate aromatic impact\u2014are used to maintain a certain balance. The quantity of new wood has also been reduced, and 50% of vinification takes place in new barrels for Cos d\u2019Estournel and 25% for Pagodes. The newer a barrel, the greater its porosity, and \u201cCos d\u2019Estournel has more tannins than Pagodes de Cos,\u201d according to Dominique, \u201cso it needs more new barrels.\u201d \u00c9levage has never been very long at the estate, generally twelve months for Pagodes and fourteen months for Cos d\u2019Estournel.<\/p>\n

All of the barrels are made of French oak and sourced from some ten different cooperages. Some of them underscore fruity aromas, while others bring spiciness to the wines. This diversity is crucial in achieving the desired balance. Following a second round of racking, the wines from the different barrels are blended, bringing the wine to life a second time around.<\/p>\n

For Dominique, \u201cThe blend is always better than the best barrel on its own.\u201d[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]<\/p>\n<\/section>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Although it is sometimes criticized for excessively marking certain wines, \u00e9levage in 225-liter Bordeaux barrels is a crucial moment in crafting the wines of Cos d\u2019Estournel. Finding the right balance is key.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":5558,"featured_media":66907,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[124,140],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-66906","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\t