Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Poste 2022
An impressive Gigondas, the single vineyard ‘Le Poste’ shows harmonious balance with good structure and refined tannins, with nuances of iodine, violet, pepper and ash.
Le Poste is a historic vineyard surrounding Saint Cosme chapel. lt is formed of four terraces, three planted to Grenache and one to Clairette, on hillsides of Tortonian limestone marl. The site has a unique history, dating back to 1443, having been in the hands of Orange royalty during the 15th century. It changed hands and fell under the ownership of the Barruol family ancestor Esprit Vaton in 1490. It seems likely that the Gallo-Romas were growing vines in the 1st century, at 'Le Poste Jess', less than 100 metres away from where their vats are today. Louis Barruol’s love for the parcel is rooted in nostalgia. It is where his mother used to pick wild thyme, fennel, rosemary, blackberries, figs, cherries and almonds. Elderberries and broom grow effortlessly here, and ‘Le Poste’ honey is made from two hives, where 60 000 bees are ready to help with flowering at St Cosme. Everything on this hillside is intense and yet refined, including this eponymous cuvée. The vines were painstakingly replanted by Louis’ father, Henri Barruol in 1963. This wine is certified organic.
The cuvée was fermented with minimal intervention and wild yeasts. The wine was then aged for 12 months in French oak casks of which 20% were new, 50% were second passage and 30% were third passage.
| Vintage | 2022 |
| Alcoholic strength | 15.5% |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhône |
| Subregion | Gigondas |
| Grapes | Grenache 100% |
| Body | D |
| Contains sulphites | Yes |
| Vegetarian | Yes |
| Vegan | Yes |
| Milk | No |
| Eggs | No |
| Organic | Yes |
| Biodynamic | No |
| Closure | Cork |
Steeped in history, Château de Saint Cosme is nestled in the southern Rhône appellation of Gigondas and has been in the Barruol family for over 500 years. In 1992, fourteenth generation winemaker, Louis Barroul took over the reins of the estate from his father. Today, he is one of the most highly respected winemakers in the Rhône Valley and is affectionately referred to by fellow winemakers of the region as the ‘Genius of Gigondas’. With great determination and flair, he showcases the great potential of the Gigondas terroir with his outstanding parcellaire cuvées from individual old-vine vineyard plots. The estate has great geological diversity, as it is exceptionally located at the crosspoint of two geological faults, which is very rare. Over the years, Louis has also established his own ‘negoce’ wines, seeking out the spirit of soils and vineyards, working painstakingly with small batch fermentations, advancing hand in hand with wine growers who love what they do, while adding that special touch. This has enabled him to explore and master different terroirs, from which he consistently produces pure wines with a precise sense of place, personality and balance.
