Northern Rhône Syrah from one of France's most revered vignerons. Château de Saint Cosme is the leading estate of Gigondas and produces the benchmark wines of the appellation. The property has been in Barruol family hands since 1490, and Louis Barruol took over from his father in 1992, making a dramatic shift to quality and converting to biodynamics in 2010. Alongside the estate-grown wines labeled "Château de Saint Cosme," Barruol buys grapes from contracted growers and labels these négociant bottlings simply "Saint Cosme." The Côte-Rôtie is the jewel of that range.

The fruit comes from the schist slopes of the Côte Brune, the northern end of the appellation. Côte-Rôtie here is produced from 100% Sérine, an ancient local variety of Syrah that Barruol finds especially aromatic, gathered from a range of parcels and allowed to ferment spontaneously as whole bunches.

Tasting Notes A fresh attack opens into an ample, structured, long-lasting finish. The wine unfurls in successive stages and closes with the top-quality tannins that whole-cluster fermentation delivers, carrying aromas and flavors of smoked ham, violet, graphite, and licorice. If you're looking for the dark side of Côte-Rôtie, this isn't it. It's lean and lithe, capturing the Rhône's most northerly appellation in all its stony cool.

Wine Details

Pairs Well With Grilled lamb, duck, wild game, charcuterie, roasted beef, mushroom dishes, and aged hard cheeses.