Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas 2021 (750ml)
Product price
Description
Grenache leads here, backed by Syrah and Mourvèdre, in the classic Southern Rhône proportions that give Gigondas its warmth and spice. This is the estate red from Chateau de Saint Cosme, a 2021 grown just north of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Dentelles de Montmirail. The fruit is not destemmed, and the wine is raised partly in concrete and partly in large oak, a fraction of it new, an approach that favors freshness and framework over heavy extraction.
The color is deep, almost magenta, and the nose is high-toned and clear: cherry and blackberry lifted by black pepper, licorice, and a smoky mineral edge. On the palate it is medium to full-bodied and tense, with gently sweet red and dark berry fruit shading into bitter chocolate and succulent herbs. Tannins are still youthfully gripping, giving structure to a long finish that echoes the spice and floral notes, with a graphite, lead-pencil trace at the end. Balanced rather than concentrated, it drinks well now but has the poise to develop over the coming decade or more.
Product Details
| Category | Wine |
| Color | Red |
| Country | France |
| Region | Rhone |
| Subregion | Gigondas |
| Varietal | Southern Rhone Red Blend |
| Producer | Chateau de Saint Cosme |
| Vintage | 2021 |
| Size | 750 ML |
| Subtype | Still |
Expert Reviews
Deep magenta. High-toned cherry and blackberry aromas show very good clarity with black pepper and smoky mineral accents. Shows firm tension and a spicy cut to its gently sweet red and dark berry, bitter chocolate and succulent herb flavors. Youthfully gripping tannins lend framework to a long, smoky finish that echoes the spice and floral notes. This is textbook Gigondas, raised in a combination of one-third concrete tanks and two-thirds large oak barrels, 20% of those new. (Vinous, January 2023)
A blend of 70% Grenache Noir, 15% Syrah and 15% Mourvèdre, the 2021 Gigondas from Chateau de Saint Cosme evokes aromas of pepper, licorice and dark berries. Medium to full-bodied, tense and structured, it's perfectly balanced and has a juicy core of fruit, elegant tannins and a long, lead pencil-inflected finish. While not overly concentrated, its elegance and balance will allow it to evolve gracefully over the next 10 years. (Wine Advocate, October 2024)
Leading off the flagship Gigondas from this reference point estate, the 2021 Gigondas has a medium-bodied, soft, supple, nicely balanced, and elegant style as well as notes of ripe red and black fruits, peppery herbs, flowers, and spice, with a kiss of gaminess that emerges with air. I love its balance, it has good mid-palate depth, and it will unquestionably evolve for 15 years if well stored. Unquestionably one of the top estates in the Southern Rhône (not just Gigondas), Château de Saint Cosme is run by the incredibly talented and driven Louis Barruol. There are a number of smaller cuvées, all of which are impeccably made, but clearly, the focus is on the Gigondas releases, which are not destemmed and are brought up in larger barrels. The Classic Gigondas is always roughly 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, and the rest Mourvèdre and Cinsault, and the three single vineyards are all 100% Grenache. Readers can expect to see the current Côtes Du Rhône whites (Hominis Fides Blanc and Le Poste Blanc) released under the Gigondas appellation starting in 2023. (Jeb Dunnuck, October 2023)