Château De Saint Cosme

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 the Barruol’s family since 1490 but it wasn’t until Henri and Claude Barruol took over in 1957 that Saint Cosme turned away from the bulk wine business and began to focus on quality. Since then, there have been significant strides taken in that direction. In the 1970s Henri was one of the first in the region to work organically. In 1992, Henri’s son Louis Barruol took over from his father in 1992, added a négociant arm to the business in 1997, and converted to biodynamics in 2010.

15 hectares of vineyard grow on the Estate in the shade of the Dentelles de Montmirail in the heart of Gigondas. The limestone that distinguishes Gigondas from other southern Rhône appellations is visible on the jagged cliffs above. There are five wines from this site: a Gigondas and the old-vine selection Gigondas Valbelle, and three single-vineyard expressions: Hominis Fides, Le Claux, and Le Poste. Louis Barruol owns an additional 10 hectares of vineyard in Violès from which comes Les Deux Albions Blanc,  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.” Little James’ Basket Press, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and northern Rhône appellations are from contracted growers and are labeled “Saint Cosme.”

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.

Château de Saint Cosme is the leading estate of Gigondas and produces the appellation’s benchmark wines.. 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.