Saint Cosme Côtes du Rhône

Côtes du Rhône Saint-Cosme bottle image

Wine Description

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.

The estate lies in the heart of Gigondas where 15 hectares of vineyard grow in the shade of the Dentelles de Montmirail mountain. In addition to the estate-grown wines labeled “Château de Saint Cosme,” Louis Barruol buys grapes from contracted growers, labeling these “négociant” wines simply as “Saint Cosme.”

Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône is produced from 100% Syrah and is from the the stony Villafranchian terraces of the Gard. The vineyards are known for their limestone sand, red clay, and pebbles, which give a freshness and intensity to the Syrah grapes. The wine is partially destemmed, fermented with natural yeasts, and vinified in concrete vats.

Saint Cosme Stone Sign
Chapel de Saint Cosme
WInemaker Louis Barruol
Oak Barrels
Chai de Saint Cosme
Aerial View of Chapel de Saint Cosme
Winemaker Louis Barruol
Le Poste Vineyards and Dentelles de Montmirail
Father and Son, Henry and Louis Barruol
Gigondas Bottle
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Acclaim
“A hefty version of Côtes du Rhône, with a lot of stuffing, showing ripe black plum and black currant flavors layered with black pepper and grilled rosemary. Sturdy tannins hem in the creamy palate, with a kick of bitter mineral and graphite through the medium-length finish. Very solid.” — Wine Spectator, Feb 2024
“Louis Barruol’s family acquired this estate in 1490, though its winemaking origins date back to Gallo-Roman times. Barruol is responsible for the domaine’s spectacular modern ascent, which is widely credited with elevating the Gigondas appellation as the star of the Southern Rhône. In addition to his estate wines and single-vineyard cuvées, Barruol crafts a range of delicious négociant wines, and his Côtes du Rhône is always a standout, delivering a lot of character and complexity for the price. Unlike most Côtes du Rhône reds, which are blends that rely primarily on Grenache, St.-Cosme’s version is made from 100 percent Syrah grown in stony, limestone-rich soils. This may help explain the wine’s combination of freshness, intensity and savory power, which nicely complements the ripe, sunny profile that is classic to Southern Rhône reds.” — Wine Spectator, Jan 2024
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Côtes du Rhône
Soil composition
Red clay, round stones, limestone
Training method
Guyot Gobelet
Elevation:
105 feet
Vines/acre:
2000
Exposure:
Southern
Harvest time:
October
First vintage of this wine:
1997
Bottles produced of this wine:
200,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Syrah
Fermentation container:
Cement vats
Maceration technique:
Pumpovers
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Fining agent:
Vegan
Type of aging container:
Cement vats
Size of aging container:
100 HL
Length of aging before bottling:
6 months
Total SO2
46
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.8
Acidity:
59.1 g/L
Alcohol:
14.1 %
Dry extract:
29.7 g/L
Total SO2
46
Residual sugar:
0.78 g/L