Château de Saint Cosme

Gigondas Hominis Fides

Château de Saint Cosme

Gigondas Hominis Fides

Château de Saint Cosme is the leading estate of Gigondas and produces the benchmark wines of the appellation. The property has been in the hands of the Barruol family since 1490. Louis Barruol took over from his father in 1992 making a dramatic shift to quality and converting to biodynamics in 2010.

Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Hominis Fides is where some of the oldest vines of the estate are found with an average vine age of 90-years. The vineyard is located across the road from Le Claux with Miocene-era sand mixed with clay and stones. Incidentally, the soil is identical to that of Château Rayas in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The wine is a field blend of predominately Grenache, made with whole cluster fermentation from indigenous yeasts, aged in 20% new 228-liter barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration. Only 10 barrels are produced each year.

Tasting Notes

Hominis Fides is typically the most elegant of Château de Saint Cosme’s three single-vineyard Gigondas.  “Grenache grown in the sandy soil produces marvelously textured wines as well as extremely refined tannins; a very special and stylish wine,” says Louis Barruol. The wine features aromas and flavors of pepper, truffle, graphite, and smoke.

Food Pairing

Grenache is the pale-colored, red-fruited, and potpourri-scented red grape variety of the southern Rhône and can be paired with both rustic and sophisticated dishes. Full-bodied Grenache-based wines are ideal with stews, braises, and grilled meats, while lighter versions can work well with dark fish and tomato-based dishes such as ratatouille.

Château de Saint Cosme is the leading estate of Gigondas and produces the benchmark wines of the appellation. The property has been in the hands of the Barruol family since 1490. Louis Barruol took over from his father in 1992 making a dramatic shift to quality and converting to biodynamics in 2010.

Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Hominis Fides is where some of the oldest vines of the estate are found with an average vine age of 90-years. The vineyard is located across the road from Le Claux with Miocene-era sand mixed with clay and stones. Incidentally, the soil is identical to that of Château Rayas in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.

The wine is a field blend of predominately Grenache, made with whole cluster fermentation from indigenous yeasts, aged in 20% new 228-liter barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration. Only 10 barrels are produced each year.

Tasting Notes

Hominis Fides is typically the most elegant of Château de Saint Cosme’s three single-vineyard Gigondas.  “Grenache grown in the sandy soil produces marvelously textured wines as well as extremely refined tannins; a very special and stylish wine,” says Louis Barruol. The wine features aromas and flavors of pepper, truffle, graphite, and smoke.

Food Pairing

Grenache is the pale-colored, red-fruited, and potpourri-scented red grape variety of the southern Rhône and can be paired with both rustic and sophisticated dishes. Full-bodied Grenache-based wines are ideal with stews, braises, and grilled meats, while lighter versions can work well with dark fish and tomato-based dishes such as ratatouille.

Vineyard & Production Info

Vineyard name:
Hominis Fides
Vineyard size:
3 acres
Soil composition:
Calcareous and Sand
Training method:
Gobelet
Elevation:
990 feet
Vines/acre:
2000
Yield/acre:
0.1 tons
Exposure:
Northwestern
Harvest time:
Beginning of October
First vintage of this wine:
2003
Bottles produced of this wine:
2,667
Certifying Organizations:
Ecocert

Winemaking & Aging

Varietal composition:
Grenache
Fermentation container:
wooden vats
Maceration technique:
Pumpovers and Pigeages
Fining agent:
None
Type of aging container:
Barrels
Size of aging container:
228 Liters
Age of Aging Container:
20% new
Total SO2:
66

Analytical Data

pH level:
3.87
Acidity:
2.89 g/L
Alcohol:
15.47 %
Dry extract:
28.4 g/L
Total SO2:
66
Residual sugar:
0.51 g/L