If good things come in small packages, then fine wine investors need to have Chateau Cos Labory on their radar. The intense, well-structured red wine ticks all the right boxes. A fifth growth appellation of just 18-hectares, located within the hallowed grounds of St. Estephe and just a stone’s throw from Chateau Cos d’Estournel, this is a Bordeaux bijou.

The Cos Labory story is the stuff of Bordeaux legends. It begins in the late 1700s with Pierre Gaston, and his three children. Despite the revolution in 1789, the Gastons managed to hold on to their property (not to mention their heads)! Upon Pierre Gaston’s death, the estate - then called Cos Gaston – was inherited by the impossibly named eldest son, Hyacinthe. Hyacinthe had a daughter, who married the son of the prestigious Labory family, and hence the name was changed to Cos Gaston Labory. Over time, the Gaston was dropped and the Laborys remained at the estate’s helm in one way or another until the mid-19th century.

Things get a little chequered here, as the sale of Cos Labory in 1852 was to the owner of the neighbouring Cos d’Estournel. It is worth remembering that this was just three years before Napoleon's famous growth appellation table and while Cos Labory is a fifth growth, Cos d’Estournel is a super second. Plots from both vineyards were divided and combined, and although the best ones were kept for the higher rated estate, Cos Labory definitely benefited from the winemakers second growth savoir faire.

The property was bought by George Webber in the 1930s, who bequeathed it to his daughter and son in law Francois Audoy in 1959. The Audoys still run the show, and have since added AOC Chateau Andron Blanquet to their portfolio.

Although the estate may err on the side of caution when it comes to winemaking techniques, there is no doubt that its 100,000 bottle yield is high for its size. This could be that it has yet to embrace the bio dynamic method of harvesting which has led rise to the claim that the estate is compromising its potential quality. Their refusal to do so seems a shame, as with some of the best plots in the region, their quality (and hence price) could increase by a large margin. Undoubtedly more sustainable farming methods will be introduced soon, and when they are, expect Chateau Cos Labory to rocket.