Of all the stars in the constellation of the Gigondas appellation, none shine as bright as Château de Saint Cosme. The property has been in the hands of Louis Barruol’s family for 14 generations, but wine has been produced on the site of Saint Cosme since Roman times. The 15ha of vineyards that surround the property represent the heart and soul of the domain, but Louis added a négociant arm to the business in 1997 and produces stunning wines from many corners of the Rhône Valley (these are labeled Saint Cosme, without Château). The signature aesthetic and style of the domaine combines the region’s typical ripeness with freshness, a remarkable achievement, especially given the warm climate of the southern Rhône. “I want to make wines which express their terroir with purity and personality” says Louis. “I want balanced wines with a great ability to age.”
The wines on offer today represent the entirety of our annual allocation of Château de Saint Cosme. Don’t miss your chance to add some of these remarkable wines to your cellar.
2020 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas
Peppery notes of scorched bramble and dried sage with ripe, rich flavors of preserved plum and black fig in this weighty blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. It’s an unctuously textured wine marked by strikes of char, vanilla and smoke but finishes fresh and delightfully salty.
91-93 pts Jeb Dunnuck
Retail $74.95 / btl [6 btl/cs]
2020 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Lieu-dit Collection
2 bottles each of the most sought after wines of the Gigondas appellation: Le Poste (the most structured, aromatic, and mineral-driven wine from the domaine), Le Claux (aromas and flavours of wild strawberries, violet, peat, Chinese Five Spice, and camphor – the most “Burgundian” wine produced by the Château), and Hominis Fides (the most elegant of the three single-vineyard Gigondas, featuring notes of pepper, truffle, graphite, and smoke).
Le Poste 95-97 pts Jeb Dunnuck
Le Claux 96 pts Decanter
Hominis Fides 97-100 pts Jeb Dunnuck
Retail $159.95 / btl [6 btl/cs]
2019 Saint Cosme Châteauneuf-du-Pape
A sultry licorice spine extends from nose to finish in this wine, accenting concentrated flavors of strawberry and black-cherry preserves. A blend of 50% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre, 15% Syrah and 5% Cinsault, it’s a satiny sip dusted with cocoa powder and soft, feathery tannins. Alluring in fruit and lifted by a mineral crush.
92 pts Jeb Dunnuck
Retail $79.95 / btl [6 btl/cs]
2020 Saint Cosme Condrieu
Classic aromas and flavors of dried apricot, peach, and orange blossom with fennel, anise, and elderflower. Twelve months of aging on its fine lees in used Burgundian pièce brings texture to the palate. This is a classic Condrieu.
92 pts Wine Advocate
Retail $104.95 / btl [6 btl/cs]
2020 Saint Cosme Côte-Rôtie
Notes of char, iron and tobacco leaf accent penetrating black-cherry and cassis flavors in this muscular expression of Côte-Rôtie. Produced from 100% whole-cluster Syrah and matured twelve months in 30% new French oak, it’s a weighty, intensely structured red framed by firm, gripping tannins and a delicately earthen, meaty finish.
92-94 pts Wine Advocate
Retail $104.95 / btl [6 btl/cs]
2020 Saint Cosme Crozes-Hermitage
Fresh sprays of granite and salt accent bristling redcurrants and cherries in this fresh, mouthdrenching Syrah. Full bodied yet invigorating on the midpalate, it’s a pure-fruited but deeply mineral wine.
90-92 pts Jeb Dunnuck
Retail $54.95 / btl [6 btl/cs]
2020 Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph
Layers of dried sage, bramble and green peppercorns lend a sauvage appeal to plump, juicy black cherry and plum in this wine. It’s a full bodied but graceful Syrah fringed by fine tannins. The finish is delightfully floral, etched by violet and rose-petal perfume.
91-93 pts Jeb Dunnuck
Retail $57.95 / btl [6 btl/cs]
About the Winery
Louis Barroul’s family has owned this estate since 1570, but there’s an 11th century chapel in the middle of the vineyard. Vines were planted here by 1416 at the latest. Today, there are 15 ha of vineyards in three distinct parcels around the château. Average vine age is 60 years. Two of these parcels, ‘Le Claux’ and ‘Hominis Fides’, were planted prior to 1902.
The Dentelles de Montmirail makes this geologically complex — Saint Cosme is located at the crossing of two geological faults, which is very rare — and gives an extraordinary diversity of soils to the terroir. The microclimate is cool and late ripening, helping define Gigondas with the ability to be powerful and refined at the same time. Château de St. Cosme captures the extraordinary potential of the terroir combined with the remarkable character of these old vines. Organic viticulture respects the ancient traditions of the estate. ‘Château de Saint Cosme’ on the labels identifies the estate-grown wines – Gigondas, three ‘cru’ Gigondas, Côtes du Rhône rouge, and a ‘cru’ white are produced.
Louis also crafts a selection of ‘negociant-vigneron’ wines (labeled as ‘Saint Cosme’, without ‘Chateau’) from a selection of great terroir in both Northern & Southern Rhône. He works with the spirit of a vigneron using ancient traditions: remaining a small producer, collaborating with winemakers who share his philosophy, transporting the wines in casks to avoid racking them and killing their fruit, preserving the purity and personality of these unique wines. The wines are Vegan-friendly.
Order online at www.TheVineAgency.ca.
You can also email wine@thevineagency.ca or call 416.693.7994.
We’d love to chat about wine with you!
