Château Côte de Baleau
The exact origins of Château Côte de Baleau seem up for debate. According to the modern-day proprietor the estate was created as long ago as 1643, although the evidence for this seems rather sparse. In truth, the first independent reference to the existence of the vineyard comes rather later, when it was mentioned by Lecoutre de Beauvais, a local négociant who also published Le Producteur Bordelais. He referenced the estate, at the time in the hands of Pierre-James Coste-Costy (born 1813), a sous-lieutenant in the 6th cavalry regiment, and who was subsequently made an Officier in the Legion d’Honneur in 1885. A descendant of the locally renowned Coste family, he included among his forebears mayors and notable lawyers.
From Pierre-James the property came to James Coste-Costy, sometime before 1867, at which time the estate, known at the time as Balleau, was awarded a gold medal at the Exposition Universelle in Paris. He presumably remained in charge for some time, until at least 1883, when Cocks et Féret describe a property turning out 20 tonneaux of red wine per annum. During the next few years James died, and thus by 1886 his widow was running the estate. From her, responsibility for the property was handed over to Adeline Coste-Costy, presumably the daughter or perhaps the sister of Pierre-James.
