Red dry
A hallmark of the Northern Rhône, this Côte-Rôtie reflects Louis Barruol’s unwavering commitment to tradition and to the dramatic hillsides that define the appellation. Here, the winemaking philosophy is clear: allow Syrah to express its full nobility — powerful yet aristocratic, shaped by steep schist and granite slopes and precise, uncompromising work in the cellar.
The aroma opens with layered, deep notes of black cherry, plum, blackberry, and ripe blueberry. These are joined by the signature Côte-Rôtie florals: violet, rose petal, and wild Provençal herbs — a classic contrast of dark fruit and lifted perfume. As the wine evolves in the glass, it reveals black pepper, graphite, a hint of smoke, and delicate cocoa.
On the palate, the wine is concentrated yet never heavy. The tannins are refined and silky, carried by an energetic, precise line of acidity that shapes a direct and elegant structure. The flavour profile follows the nose: dark berries, spice, florals and a long, mineral-driven finish that evokes warm stone and the tension of granite. The texture is velvety and multi-layered, retaining the hallmark finesse of Côte-Rôtie.
The grapes come from steep, hard-to-work schist and granite slopes, which impart natural coolness, tension and structural depth. These hillside parcels deliver tiny yields but exceptional aromatic purity. The northern exposure helps Syrah maintain its floral lift, spiced nuance and firm mineral backbone.
Fermentation is carried out with native yeasts, often including a proportion of whole clusters to preserve the appellation’s signature spicy character. Ageing takes place in used French oak, chosen to add gentle textural polish without overshadowing the wine’s fruit, florals, or terroir expression.
Serve at 16-18°C with duck, wild game, venison dishes, and smoked meats.
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. 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.
