Breaking the Sauternes stereotypes with Château Rieussec

Expertises Digital activations Media website

Cosa supported Château Rieussec, a property of Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite, in its bold repositioning to break the stereotypes surrounding Sauternes. Through a digital strategy combining storytelling, content production, and the creation of an immersive city guide, we helped the brand attract a younger audience and revive its partner network.

Reinventing the image of Sauternes

Overview

Château Rieussec, a renowned name in Sauternes, is celebrated for its exceptional wines. In 2024, the estate partnered with Cosa to support its strategic repositioning and modernize its image. The goal: appeal to a younger, open-minded clientele while rekindling interest among historical partners.

Context

Sauternes suffers from clichés—a heavy wine reserved for festive meals. Château Rieussec sought to change this perception by offering a modern and accessible experience. With a new opaque bottle design and innovative bilboquet stopper, the brand reimagined consumption to allow savoring the wine over several weeks. Cosa was tasked with narrating this transformation and evangelizing a new audience while strengthening its CHR network (restaurants and wine shops).

Briefly

Cosa helped Château Rieussec reinvent itself through original digital initiatives, including an editorial strategy on Instagram and The Journal, as well as an immersive city guide. This repositioning revived interest among historical partners while attracting a new clientele.

“Notre nouveau site est le résultat d’un travail collaboratif remarquable entre Cosa et nos équipes”

Carolyn Sanchez Directrice

Résults / Impacts

An enthusiastic network of London-based partners/distributors, with orders resumed in locations that had not ordered Rieussec for years.

Confidential figures, but success confirmed by a new operation planned for Paris in spring 2025.

Solutions

An editorial strategy on Instagram and The Journal

We showcased the renewal of Sauternes on Château Rieussec’s Instagram account with modern and engaging visuals. This repositioning was also featured on The Journal, the digital magazine we produce for Domaines Barons de Rothschild Lafite, to share behind-the-scenes stories of the group’s estates with an authentic and immersive tone.

An immersive city guide for epicureans

To attract a younger, open-minded audience, we created a gastronomic city guide dedicated to Sauternes. The first stop: London in autumn 2024. Over one week, we explored London’s best culinary spots—from Hackney to Mayfair—covering everything from brunches to “after dinner cigars.” This immersive content highlighted Sauternes in a modern and accessible way.

Agile production to maximize impact

With limited resources, we leveraged our talents to design an original and intuitive interface. The artistic direction illuminated London under Sauternes’ golden glow through visuals by Théo Guinet and Sandro Raspaldo. Abhinav Ullal, our London-based Creative Lead, added a creative touch with his sharp editorial style.