Chateau Cos-Labory

We can go back some 250 years with the history of Chateau Cos–Labory. The first we hear of the property is as a Domaine, by the name of Cos–Gaston, lying in the hamlet of Cos. It had taken the first part of its name from the hill on which it lay, and belonged to a family by the name of Gaston. We know that it had vines and was producing wine. Pierre Gaston died, on 11th August 1777, and his three children drew lots for the estate. It went to his son, Hyacinthe. Hyacinthe married Anne Pauty and they had an only–child, Marie–Sany. Marie–Sany later married Francois–Armand Labory and the estate was renamed Cos Gaston Labory.Francois–Armand had no less than 8 children, but he and they did not see eye to eye. Relationships were strained. When their mother died, court cases over the inheritance followed. In 1847，Louis–Gaspard d’Estournel had become proprietor.This eccentric gentleman held on to it for just five years before he was forced to sell. When he did, on 24th July 1852, to the English banker, Charles Cecil Martyns, it had lost a lot of its vineyards. It had been radically changed and chopped up. The 40 Hectares had been reduced to just 15. Gaspard d’Estournel had not been good for Cos Labory as he saw the best of its vineyards as manna from heaven for Cos d’Estournel. However, it has to be said that he made fine wine, which meant that Cos Labory, although diminished, still had its fine reputation, which would enable it to be classified Fifth Growth in the 1855 classification. Martyns had bought Cos d’Estournel, Cos–Labory and Pomys, all for 1,150,000 Francs.Then it was sold for many times. Finally, on 22nd June 1922, M. Charriaut sold Cos–Labory to Ambrosio and Augusto Weber, for 200,000 Francs, forebears of the present owners.

As we have seen, this starts with the purchase of the property by Ambrosio and Augusto Weber, on 22nd June 1922, for 200,000 Francs. They lived in Argentine, where they were highly successful ranchers, but were of American origin. They sent their cousin, George Weber, still an American citizen, to run Cos–Labory and to live there.George married a lady from Brittany, Marie–Alberte Loysel, in 1926, and they had one daughter, Cecile, who was born and brought up at Labory. Later, in 1959, considering it very much her home, she purchased it from her cousins in Argentina. Cecile was, and is, Bernard’s mother. Later, since Weber was still an American citizen, he had to get out of France during the Second World War, and he entrusted the management of Cos–Labory to Pierre Ginestet, the proprietor of Cos d’Estournel, next door. Cecile therefore spent much of her teenage years in New York. Weber came back when the war was over.On the other side of the family, Bernard’s grandfather was a local doctor in Saint Estèphe. He was much respected in the locality. Strangely enough he married a lady who also carried the name Audoy, but who was in no way related. They had 4 children. One of them followed a military career and this was Bernard’s father, Francois Audoy. Francois married Cecile and they had four children – Bernard, Denis, Stéphane and Martial. He retired from the military and came to help look after the property, together with Cecile, after the death of her mother, in 1959, when her father decided to retire. Regretfully Francois died young, in 1984, but Cecile, his widow and Bernard’s mother, is still alive and well today and inhabits the Chateau. Thus the property comes from the female side of the family.Bernard was born in 1954, (A poor vintage!) and is therefore 51 this year. After school he studied oenology at Bordeaux University. He was fortunate enough, just, to manage to study under the great Emile Peynaud, who retired in 1975. After qualifying, with honours, in 1977, Bernard came to work at Cos Labory, in 1978. His father had co–founded a company by the name of “Crus et Chateaux de Bordeaux”, together with a number of partners with well-known names in the trade. Among them was Dominique Lurton, father of Pierre Lurton, who is today manager of both Cheval Blanc and d’Yquem. Times were hard and they needed a vehicle to sell their wines direct.Bernard’s career has therefore been nothing but wine! Today he is married to Marlene and has two children, both girls, of age 18 and 15 years. He is the “Gérant” of the property. As for his younger brothers, Denis is an accountant with Andre Lurton at Chateau Bonnet, Stéphane works closely with Bernard on the wine side of Labory and Martial is in charge of Communications and Administration. Bernard and his family live at nearby Chateau Andron-Blanquet, a Cru Bourgeois Saint Estèphe, which Francois Audoy bought, in 1971, since the previous owner was a friend but wanted to change and invest in Cognac.
Nowadays’ owner: Madame Cécile Audoy and her four sons
Technique Information
Location: Cos Labory is well situated. Its neighbors are Cos D'Estournel on one side and Lafite Rothschild just down the road.
Appellation: Saint-Estèphe
Neighboring Chateau: Chateau Lafite Rothschild(1st Growth 1855 Medoc)

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