Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph

St. Joseph 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.”

Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph 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 climat Malleval in the northern part of the appellation near Condrieu. The wine is made from 70% destemmed with 30% whole clusters, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged in 20% new 228-liter barrels.

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 dynamic St-Joseph from Louis Barruol, this wine is powered by the mouthwatering pucker of sour cherries and pomegranate and a deep growl of tannins. Light and dark, lush and strict, the components keep the wine in a constant, enticing state of tension, notes of underbrush, spice and herbs adding detail. Made from Sérine, an old variant of Syrah, with 30 percent whole clusters, this is a serious St-Joseph.”
— Wine & Spirits, Feb 2018
“Another terrific Northern Rhône from Louis is the 2015 Saint Joseph, which comes all from granite terroirs and was aged in barrel. Plums, cassis, black raspberry and graphite characteristics emerge from this rich, full-bodied, impressively concentrated red that has present, yet sweet tannin. It will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring and shine for a decade.” 91-93
— Wine Advocate, Dec 2016
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Vineyard & Production Info
Vineyard name
Malleval
Soil composition
Granite
Training method
Gobelet
Elevation:
726 feet
Vines/acre:
3200
Yield/acre:
0.5 tons
Exposure:
Eastern
Harvest time:
End of September
First vintage of this wine:
2002
Bottles produced of this wine:
8,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Varietal composition:
100% Syrah
Maceration technique:
Pigeages
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barrels
Size of aging container:
228 Liters
Length of aging before bottling:
12 months
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Analytical Data
No relevant data were found.