Little James Basket Press Rouge (Old Blend)

Little James Basket Press Rouge 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 1490. 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 Little James’ Basket Press Rouge carries the Vin de France designation due to its unique production method. This 100% Grenache is made from blending wines from multiple vintages in concrete tanks starting with the 1999 vintage. The result is a wine that is both vibrant and complex.

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
“100% Grenache. OK, go ahead and argue with me, but I firmly believe that Grenache (and Syrah for that matter) reaches its apogee in the South of France. While this is not technically in the Côtes-du-Rhône appellation, it probably should be. Fruity, full, fun (not all wine has to cause introspection) with a nice tartness and an above-average finish. While this was bottled in 2019, it is technically a non-vintage as it is a solera wine–some wine from each harvest is added to the tank (ostensibly the same amount that is pulled out to be bottled), thus it is a constantly changing blend of several vintages. Think about what a big shot you will be when you pull out that tidbit at your next party (whenever that is allowed to happen). Very Good.”
— The Drunken Cyclist, Jun 2020
“Friendly cherry and plum fruit is spiked with dried lavender and warm stone notes. Twinge of grip on the finish. Fun, bistro wine, slightly rustic.” 
— Wine Spectator, Feb 2021
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Vineyard & Production Info
Soil composition
Limestony marl and schist
Training method
Gobelet
Elevation:
660 feet
Vines/acre:
1320
Yield/acre:
0.2 tons
Exposure:
Eastern
First vintage of this wine:
1999
Bottles produced of this wine:
110,000
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Winemaking & Aging
Maceration length:
30
Varietal composition:
100% Grenache
Fermentation container:
Cement vats
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
10 days
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Cement vats
Size of aging container:
150 HL
Total SO2
61
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Analytical Data
pH level:
3.79
Acidity:
2.96 g/L
Alcohol:
14 %
Dry extract:
27.1 g/L
Total SO2
61
Residual sugar:
0.86 g/L