G d’Estournel Goulee Medoc Bordeaux, Complete Guide

Learn everything about G d’Estournel Goulee Medoc with wine tasting notes and wine with food pairing tips. Learn the best vintages, information on vineyards and winemaking. If you want to read about other important, Bordeaux Chateaux: Links to all Bordeaux Wine Producer Profiles

G d’Estournel Goulee History, Overview

Goulee made its debut with the 2003 vintage. At first, the wine was sold under the name of Goulee. That was later changed to Goulee by Cos d’Estournel and changed again in time for the release of the 2019 vintage to G d’Estournel. The wine takes its name from a small, local port, le Port de-Goulee, which is located in the northern area of the Medoc.

The property can be difficult to find. To get there, you follow the D2 past Pauillac and continue heading due north, until you are a bit past St. Estephe to get there.

G d’Estournel Vineyards, Terroir, Grapes, Winemaking

The 25-hectare vineyard of Goulee are located on gravelly hills that face the Gironde river. Goulee, which was at one time an island surrounded by the waters of the Gironde river, enjoys a terroir of deep layers of gravel in their cool soils. The vines are planted to a density of 5,700 vines per hectare. They use high trellising and high canopy management in their vineyards.

The vineyard of G d’Estournel is planted to 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot for the red wine. Previously, Goulee also produced a small amount of white Bordeaux wine from a blend of 80% Sauvignon Blanc and 20% Semillon. The vines for the white wine come from different terroir. Those vines are now part of Les Pagodes de Cos Blanc.

The wine of Goulee by Cos d’Estournel is vinifed at Marbuzet. The choice to vinify Goulee at Marbuzet, (a Cru Bourgeois Exceptionnel,) which is located close by in the Saint Estephe appellation was reasonable, as Marbuzet is also owned by Michel Reybier, the owner of Goulee and of course, Chateau Cos d’Estournel.

To produce the red wine of Goulee by Cos d’Estournel, vinification takes place in temperature-controlled, small, conical truncated shaped, stainless steel vats. The wine is aged in 50% new, French oak barrels. The production is close to 6,000 cases per year.

Goulee Blanc is no longer in production. Instead, those vines are now included in the second wine for Chateau Cos d’Estournel Blanc, Les Pagodes de Cos Blanc which is sold as a generic, AOC, Bordeaux Blanc. This took place starting with the 2017 vintage.

The best vintages of Chateau Goulee are: 2023, 2022, 2021, 2020, 2019, 2018, 2017, 2016, 2015, 2010, 2009 and 2005.

G d’Estournel is a ripe, forward, rich, fleshy style of Bordeaux wine that offers one of the better price-to-quality value-oriented Bordeaux wines. G d’Estournel is produced by much of the same technical team that makes Chateau Cos d’Estournel.

When to Drink G d’Estournel, Anticipated Maturity, Decanting Time

G d’Estournel can be decanted for an average of 1 hour or so. This allows the wine to soften and open its perfume. Older vintages might need very little decanting, just enough to remove the sediment. G d’Estournel is usually better with at least 1-3 years of bottle age.

Of course, that can vary slightly, depending on the vintage character. G d’Estournel offers its best drinking and should reach peak maturity between 3-10 years of age after the vintage.

Serving G d’Estournel with Wine, Food, Pairing Tips

G d’Estournel is best served at 15.5 degrees Celsius, 60 degrees Fahrenheit. The cool, almost cellar temperature gives the wine more freshness and lift. The wine of Chateau Goulee is best served with all types of classic meat dishes, veal, pork, beef, lamb, duck, game, roast chicken, roasted, braised, and grilled dishes.

G d’Estournel is a perfect match with Asian dishes, hearty fish courses like tuna, mushrooms, and pasta as well as a diverse array of hard and soft cheese.

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