Saint Cosme Côte Rôtie

Côte Rôtie 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 1570. 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.”

Côte-Rôtie is produced from 100% Sérine, an ancient and local variety of Syrah that is markedly different from modern selections. It is more oval, with lots of space in the bunch, resulting in a very aromatic wine. It is sourced from the schist soils of Le Plomb, Besset, La Viallière, and Neve climats. These hillsides are among the steepest in France with an incline as much as 55 degrees. The wine is made with whole cluster fermentation from indigenous yeasts, aged for 12 months in 40% new 228-liter barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration.

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
“This has a little sauvage note peeking out, with bay leaf and game accents adding range to the rich core of crushed plum and blackberry fruit.”
— Wine Spectator, Aug 2017
“This has a little sauvage note peeking out, with bay leaf and game accents adding range to the rich core of crushed plum and blackberry fruit. A warm cast iron detail drives the finish, and latent grip allows everything to linger. Distinctive in profile and should age well. Best from 2020 through 2035.”
— Wine Spectator, Nov 2017
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Le Plomb, Besset, La Viallière, Neve
Soil composition
Schist
Training method
Gobelet
Elevation:
660 feet
Vines/acre:
3200
Yield/acre:
1 tons
Exposure:
Eastern
Harvest time:
Mid-September
First vintage of this wine:
1997
Bottles produced of this wine:
12,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Syrah
Fermentation container:
Cement vats
Fining agent:
None
Type of aging container:
Barrels
Size of aging container:
228 Liter
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
12 months
Age of Aging Container:
40% new
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.7
Acidity:
3.7 g/L
Alcohol:
13 %
Residual sugar:
1.3 g/L