97+-pt. Saint Cosme — Powerful, Characterful Wine from a 15th Gen Producer

WHY BUY: This quintet of wines from Château de Saint Cosme (including a 97+-pointer, a 97-pointer, and a 96-pointer) are not just the benchmark wines of Gigondas, that region of southern Rhône beloved for its big, bold reds. They represent 15 generations of the Barruol family making wine on the same 15 hectares where Romans were getting delightfully sloshed two millennia ago. And they’re a testament to Louis Barruol's proudly throwback approach, an m.o. that almost single-handedly revitalized interest in the varietal : biodynamic farming, spontaneous fermentations, no destemming, the kind of old-school moves that would make a techno-winemaker break out in hives. You're buying from vines so ancient (some over 100 years old) they remember when the Eiffel Tower was just a gleam in Gustave's eye. Most important of all, you're buying Gigondas that defies every lazy stereotype about the appellation. Barruol crafts wines with the vitality of a teenager and the wisdom of a master.

WHAT THEY’RE SAYING: Jeb Dunnuck suggests Le Poste could hit 97+ points, raving about its "medium to full-bodied richness, pure, seamless mouthfeel, gorgeous tannins, and great finish," declaring it will "offer pleasure right out of the gate yet cruise over the following two decades in cold cellars. Don't miss it." Decanter was right there in its assessment of Les Claux, calling the wine, in its 97-point review, "full-bodied, fully concentrated and fresh, with wonderful textural finesse … powerful without being heavy" with "great intensity, vibrancy and a long finish." Wine Enthusiast was nearly as enamored of Hominis Fides, a “striking” 96-pointer with "complexity in every sniff” and a fine structure that “pull[s] the floral and spice elements into a tense frame." The Côte-Rôtie took home a potential 95-pointer from Dunnuck, who praised its "meaty, powerful profile" with "red and black fruits, crushed stone, graphite, and intense violet notes … medium to full-bodied on the palate, with impressive concentration and ripe tannins.” (Note: the Châteauneuf-du-Pape has not yet been rated.)

THE STORY: Wine has been made at Saint Cosme since Roman times; there are actual Gallo-Roman fermentation vats carved into the limestone beneath the château, making it the wine-world equivalent of Pompeii. The Barruols arrived in 1490, and have been there ever since, passing the baton down through 15 generations with the kind of hardy persistence that would make a Burgundian jealous. The modern revolution began when Henri Barruol went organic in the 1970s, back when the only people using that word were hippies with herb gardens. But it was his son Louis who turned Saint Cosme into the Gigondas game-changer it is today. Taking over in 1992, Louis raised the bar, and not by inches, but by yards. Converting to biodynamics in 2010, keeping stems in his fermentations to maintain freshness, using spontaneous yeasts like it's 1570: these aren't gimmicks but a philosophy that says terroir trumps technology every time. 

OUR TASTING NOTES: The three single-vineyard Gigondas are transcendent expressions, truly. Les Claux leads with dark stone fruits and holiday baking spices, its whole-bunch fermentation adding layers of complexity while maintaining a wonderful textural elegance. You could say that Hominis Fides is the intellectual of the bunch: a wine for contemplation, in which every sniff reveals new dimensions and every sip tightens the architectural framework (without, I have to add, sacrificing charm). Le Poste is the star of the bunch. Silky yet structured, immediate yet immortal, it possesses the kind of seamless richness that makes you wonder why you drink anything else. All three share Barruol's signature: power without weight, intensity with grace, and, as ever, the kind of freshness that shouldn't be possible in the warm Gigondas sun. The two Saint Cosme wines are negotiant wines, made with fruit from growers that Barruol has blessed, and produced at the estate. The Châteauneuf shows why Barruol's touch works magic across appellations: it's pure Southern Rhône hedonism with a backbone of freshness. The Côte-Rôtie brings Northern swagger. It’s a brawny, mineral-driven powerhouse wreathed in purple flowers and graphite, with the concentration to age for decades. 

FUN FACT: Barruol has cited his stems-in approach to winemaking as one of his secrets. The stems actually absorb alcohol during fermentation while helping retain acidity and tannin, which is, in part, how he manages, amid all the ripeness and heft that is Gigondas, to create the impression of freshness.

OUR GUARANTEE: As always, we only buy and source directly from the estate, so rest assured: your wines will arrive in your hands with pristine provenance. Order yours today!