St Cosme Rhone Wine Tasting with Louis Barroul

This is one of the disadvantages of wine:  it makes a man mistake words for thought.  -Samuel Johnson

When you talk about the greatest values in the world of fine wines you must include the wines of the Rhone Valley.  Cotes Du Rhone is by far the winner in bang for your buck, many of the wines in the $15 category and are made from organically or Biodynamically farmed vineyards.  This region has the greatest examples of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre that you will find and many of the top wines are able to age for a decade or more in the cellar.  The top wines of the Rhone Valley like: Cote Rotie, Chateauneuf Du Pape, Hermitage, and Condrieu are not cheap but they cost much less than the top wines of Bordeaux or Burgundy.

If you are interested in learning more about the top wines of the Rhone Valley you need to sign up for this tasting.  On Friday, February 1st we have the owner of St. Cosme Louis Barroul in town for an in-depth study of Rhone Valley’s wines from both the North and the South.  This is a sit-down tasting and Chef Toni Lampasone will be making a special meal to accompany these tasting wines.  The fee for this event is $95 + tax for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com.

St Cosme Rhone Wine Tasting with Special Guest Owner Louis Barroul
Friday, February 1, 2019
7:30 PM

St Cosme Deux Albions Igp D'orange Blanc 2017
Price: $22.25    Sale $19.58

Domaine de Saint Cosme Les Deux Albions Blanc carries the Principauté-d'Orange IGP and comes from 10-hectares near Violès, directly across the Ouvèze River from Gigondas. "The level of limestone here is, I think, the highest in the region," says Louis Barruol. This wine is a blend of Viognier, Picpoul, and Marsanne aged on the lees in a combination of pièce, demi-muids, and INOX tank.

Les Deux Albions Blanc shows the salty minerality typical of limestone terroir with notes of dried apricots and white flowers. The plantings near Violès include Bourboulenc, Marsanne, Viognier, Picpoul, Clairette, and Ugni Blanc, and all varieties will be included in future bottlings.

St Cosme Condrieu 2016
Price: $87.00    Sale $76.56

(95 Points) This delivers a textbook display of peach, apricot, star fruit and anise notes, but in a package that is livelier than other versions from Condrieu, as racy honeysuckle, quinine and verbena hints add layers of energy through the finish. Drink now through 2022. Wine Spectator

St Cosme Cotes Du Rhone 2017   
Price: $15.25    Sale $13.42

Syrah requires a warm climate to fully ripen but enough moderating effect to produce intense, aromatic wines that are not overwhelmed by sweetness and alcohol. This Syrah grows in ideal terroirs of the southern Rhône and shows the varietal’s typical spicy notes of sandalwood, violets, and black pepper.

St Cosme Cotes Du Rhone Deux Albion 2016   
Price: $25.25    Sale $22.22

(91 Points) A perennial overachiever, the 2016 Cotes du Rhone les Deux Albions continues that run. Garrigue notes accent blueberry fruit in this full-bodied, plush wine. Loaded with hints of cherries and stone fruit, it's a cornucopia of ripe fruit waiting to be slurped down, velvety and long on the finish.  Robert Parker's Wine Advocate

St Cosme Gigondas 2016   
Price: $58.25    Sale $51.26

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.”

Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas is a blend of Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre, and Cinsault. The shade and elevation at Saint Cosme provide a cooler micro-climate than the rest of Gigondas. Whole clusters are fermented with indigenous yeasts and vinified in a combination of new and used barrels, and concrete tanks. The wine is bottled without fining or filtration.

The wine shows intense blackberry and fig fruit with licorice, violets, and charcoal on the finish. It is remarkably fresh and finessed given the sun and warmth of the southern Rhône. The unique micro-climate combined with 60-year-old vines and traditional winemaking make Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas the benchmark wine of the appellation.

St Cosme Chateauneuf Du Pape Rouge 2015   
Price: $62.00    Sale $54.56

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is famously the strongest, most powerful, and longest-lived wine of the southern Rhône. Louis Barruol’s Châteauneuf-du-Pape from contracted growers is a classic expression of the region with aromas and flavors of cherry, thyme, lavender, truffle, and olives.

St Cosme Saint Joseph 2016
Price: $40.25    Sale $35.42

Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph is produced from 100% Sérine, an ancient and local variety of Syrah that is markedly different from modern selections. It is more oval, with lots of space in the bunch, resulting in a very aromatic wine. It is sourced from the climat Malleval in the northern part of the appellation near Condrieu. The wine is made from 70% destemmed with 30% whole clusters, fermented with indigenous yeasts, and aged in 20% new 228-liter barrels.

Louis Barruol describes the microclimate of the vineyard Malleval as “very cold” which allows the grapes to retain acidity and showcase the floral aromas of the local Sérine variety. Aromas and flavors of blackberries and wild strawberries are accented by notes of peppercorns, tobacco, peonies, and violets.

St Cosme Cote Rotie 2016
Price: $85.00    Sale $74.80

Côte-Rôtie is produced from 100% Sérine, an ancient and local variety of Syrah that is markedly different from modern selections. It is more oval, with lots of space in the bunch, resulting in a very aromatic wine. It is sourced from the schist soils of Le Plomb, Besset, La Viallière, and Neve climats. These hillsides are among the steepest in France with an incline as much as 55 degrees. The wine is made with whole cluster fermentation from indigenous yeasts, aged for 12 months in 40% new 228-liter barrels, and bottled without fining or filtration.

On the palate, it reveals a fresh attack followed by an ample, structured, long-lasting finish. The wine unfurls in successive stages and ends with top-quality tannins produced by whole cluster fermentation. It features aromas and flavors of smoked ham, violet, graphite, graphite, and licorice.

Menu:

Selection of Cheese and Charcuterie

Wild Mushroom Soup with Quail egg Poached in Ciacci Piccolomini Olive Oil and basil foam

Walnut and Goat cheese Crusted rack of lamb with beet ratatouille

The fee for this tasting which includes dinner is $95 + tax, for reservations call 954-523-9463 or e-mail andy@winewatch.com,

A bit about Château de Saint Cosme:

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 1570. 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.
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.” Little James’ Basket Press, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and northern Rhône appellations are from contracted growers and are labeled “Saint Cosme.”
Winemaking 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.