Château de Saint Cosme

Brand Description

Château de Saint Cosme is the leading estate of Gigondas and produces the appellation’s benchmark wines. Wine has been produced on the site of Saint Cosme since Roman times, evident by the ancient Gallo-Roman vats carved into the limestone below the château. The property has been in the hands of Louis Barruol’s family since 1490. Henri and Claude Barruol took over in 1957 and gradually moved Saint Cosme away from the bulk wine business. Henri was one of the first in the region to work organically beginning in the 1970s. Louis Barruol took over from his father in 1992, making a dramatic shift to quality, adding a négociant arm to the business in 1997, and converting to biodynamics in 2010.

In addition to Château de Saint Cosme, Louis Barruol is the founder and co-owner of Forge Cellars – a best-in class Finger Lakes collaboration with New York native Rick Rainey. In 2019 Louis Barruol further expanded in the Rhône Valley with the purchase of Château de Rouanne, a historic estate located in the appellation of Vinsobres.

Location of Vineyard

The estate is in the heart of Gigondas where 15 hectares of vineyard grow in the shade of the Dentelles de Montmirail. The limestone that distinguishes Gigondas from other southern Rhône appellations is visible on the jagged cliffs of the Dentelles. In addition to Gigondas and the old-vine selection Gigondas Valbelle, three single-vineyard Gigondas are produced: Hominis Fides, Le Claux, and Le Poste. Louis Barruol owns an additional 10 hectares of vineyard in Violès outside of Gigondas to produce Les Deux Albions Blanc IGP. Côtes-du-Rhône Les Deux Albions Rouge and Le Poste Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc round out the estate offerings and are labeled as “Château de Saint Cosme.” Micro-Cosme, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and northern Rhône appellations are from contracted growers and are labeled “Saint Cosme.”

Winemaking and Viticulture Philosophy

Louis Barruol’s style combines the region’s typical ripeness with freshness, an elusive quality in the warm climate of the southern Rhône. One of the keys to freshness is the use of stems for their red wines. The stems absorb alcohol during fermentation and help retain acidity and tannin. Red wines are made by spontaneous fermentation. Louis prefers cement tanks or mostly used 228-liter Burgundian pièce for élevage with just a few traditional demi-muid for his whites. The négociant wines are transported to Gigondas in casks to avoid racking and unnecessary exposure to oxygen. Reds are bottled unfined and unfiltered. “I want to make wines which express their terroir with purity and personality. I want balanced wines with a great ability to age,” says Louis Barruol.

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
accordion plus icons
Winery Profile
Owner: Louis Barruol
Winemaker: Louis Barruol
Total acreage under vine: 62
Founded: 1490
accordion plus icons
Acclaim
There's a lot to love in this ethereal red, with stunning purity and allure. The perfumed nose is marked by black fruit, pepper, smoked bacon and tobacco, with smoky oolong tea in the backdrop. Concentrated yet doesn't feel weighed down, with fine, chalky tannins landing the finish, which stretches out in effortless harmony and reveals earthy tugs of tar and juniper. Its beautiful suppleness makes this approachable now, but this will also go the distance in the cellar. — acclaim for 2022 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux from Wine Spectator, Nov 2024
Broad-shouldered, smoldering and black, this offers a densely packed coil of dark fruit encased in iron. Time in glass reveals peppery, energetic details, with smoked herb and graphite elements, but this still needs time to unwind. Black tea tannins and plum skin acidity carry this through the massive, lingering finish. Its opulence is well-matched by its fine structure and savory power. — acclaim for 2022 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Hominis Fides from Wine Spectator, Nov 2024
A massive wine, this starts out with a voluptuous, generous well of black cherry, anise and plum puree that soon reveals a simmering layer of molten iron. Serious and brooding, with savory, smoky power and bitterness, yet this shows finesse and beautiful integration. The powerful black tea tannins are built to go the distance and need a bit of time to mellow out. A blockbuster. — acclaim for 2022 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Poste from Wine Spectator, Nov 2024
View more acclaim Arrow Right