The vines of Goulée, located north of the Médoc at Port de Goulée and jau-dignac et loirac, spread out on a gravely hill facing the Gironde estuary.
Goulée, which was once an island surrounded by the waters of the estuary, enjoys a terroir of deep layers of gravel worthy of the greatest Médoc Grands Crus and thus vinified as such by the team of Cos d’Estournel.
The average plantation density of 5700 vines per hectare goes along with a high trellising to allow a perfect photosynthesis. Just like for all the great terroir of the Médoc, the vines are pruned and harvested by hand.
The vineyard of Goulée benefits from an extraordinary temperate climate where the two grape-varieties, Cabernet Sauvignon (80%) and Merlot (20%) can grow in the best conditions. Indeed, the geographical position of Goulée situated close to the Atlantic Ocean (11 miles away and 19 from Pauillac), together with the Estuary’s remarkable width at Goulée (7 ½ miles wide as against only 2 at Pauillac) bring the Goulée vines exceptional coolness in summer and greater mildness in winter and spring.
It is this distinctive individuality in the climate which gives the Goulée wine a fruity character which is not without recalling that of the style of the New World wines.
2004
After a very promising 2003 vintage, the Goulée 2004, developed by the Cos d’Estournel team, has begun its life. The result of a deeper knowledge of this terroir in the north of the Médoc, of controlling the vines’ vigour more strictly and thinning them out more rigidly, this second vintage would seem to live up to its promise.
At Goulée, unlike the other Médoc vineyards, the 2004 vintage is marked by slender yields, in the order of 35 hectolitres per hectare, or 310 gallons per acre.
Harvesting, which took place on September 28 for the Merlots and October 10 for the Cabernets Sauvignons, was carried out just before the rainy spell of weather during the week of October 11. So the grapes were gathered in flawless condition. They were also perfectly ripe. The finished wine presented an average natural degree of 13°, and this without any adjustment.
Once the harvest had been gathered and sorted, it was vinified, paying due respect to the style of the Goulée terroir with the use of small isothermal, double-walled vats, conical and truncated. For these highly insulating vats enable us to carry out cold pre-maceration in optimum conditions.
The Goulée 2004 has now begun its life in 50% new wood barrels. This will continue for 14 months on the fine lees, without stirring, until the first racking off.
2005
This year’s exceptional weather conditions have made the Goulée 2005 a great classic in pure north Médoc style.
Just as in 2004, the 2005 vintage is marked at Goulée by slender yields, in the order of 35 hectolitres per hectare (311 gallons per acre).
The vines at Goulée, with an average age of 25 years, have developed roots sufficiently deep to support the lack of water which marked 2005.
Summer was characterized by light rain and very cool nights, even more so in the north Médoc.
Harvesting on September 6 for the Merlots and from October 10 – 14 for the Cabernets-Sauvignons took place in ideal weather conditions (cool nights and days of sunshine). The resulting maturity was perfect. We recorded natural degrees of 13% for the Cabernets and 14.5% for the Merlots.
After sorting the harvest meticulously by hand, we carried out cold pre-fermentation maceration in our little conical truncated vats, the aim being to vinify the Goulée in the greatest respect for this north Médoc terroir and in the spirit of the New World which characterizes this wine.
The weather conditions in 2005 along with Goulée’s geographical position, situated between the Estuary and the Atlantic Ocean, accentuated the fruity character so typical of Goulée.
Today, the Goulée vineyard represents 28 hectares (70 acres) in three distinct and identical parcels.
Blend : 80% cabernet sauvignon – 20% merlot
50% new barrels
The year 2006 was marked by unusual weather conditions in which the hand of man was able to exploit the difference in the great Médoc terroirs.
The rain at the start of the year, greater than the average rainfall over the last 30 years, enabled the land to replenish its reserves after a particularly dry 2005.
Summer was characterized by fragmented weather conditions. The exceptional heat of the first half of the season, coupled with the particularly low rainfall, resulted in a general lack of water, bringing about a halt in growth and a uniform start to the grapes’ taking on colour on August 8. The grapes were thinned out all through summer. The month of August and the second half of the month of September were more disappointing.
Harvesting was from September 21 – 23 for the Merlots and October 2 – 5 for the Cabernets-Sauvignons.
The vines’ promise was confirmed in the vats. Colour was extracted rapidly and most satisfactorily.
The good condition of the grapes and the small size of the berries enabled us to carry out cold pre‑fermentation maceration in our little conical truncated vats. So we obtained very dense, highly coloured juice with excellent body.
The wine was put into cask after the alcoholic fermentation and aged on the lees until the first racking off.
Blend : 80% cabernet sauvignon – 20% merlot
50% new wood for 14 months in the cask for this 2006 vintage. Yields are in the order of 310 gallons per acre.
