Chateau de Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph 2016
-
James
Suckling -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Syrah, with its deep flavors and firm tannins, is a natural match for grilled or smoked meat and dishes featuring herbs, roasted mushrooms, and onions. Seared venison or beef with black pepper and thyme or a Moroccan tagine of pigeon or chicken are complimented by the spicy characteristic of Syrah.
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
A wild array of fragrant, savory spices and white pepper with a bright array of mixed berries. The palate is suave, succulent and focused. This has elegance and poise. Subtly powerful and beautifully balanced.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
From the northern part of the appellation (closer to Côte-Rôtie), the 2016 St. Joseph offers fresh, perfumed notes of black and blue fruits, pepper, and ample minerality. It’s more focused and chiseled than the Crozes Hermitage, with slightly less density, but is beautifully balanced, elegant and seamless. It’s another classic Northern Rhône from this estate.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Sourced from granitic soils at the northern end of the appellation, the 2016 Saint Joseph boasts sexy aromas of hickory smoked bacon and cassis. Medium to full-bodied, it's silky and suave on the palate, picking up hints of espresso on the long, fine-grained finish. Approachable now, it should drink well for at least another 6-7 years.
Other Vintages
2021-
James
Suckling
-
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator - Vinous
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine &
Spirits -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Jeb
Dunnuck
-
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine &
Spirits -
James
Suckling
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Wine &
Spirits -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker
Chateau 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 chateau. 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.
Marked by an unmistakable deep purple hue and savory aromatics, Syrah makes an intense, powerful and often age-worthy red. Native to the Northern Rhône, Syrah achieves its maximum potential in the steep village of Hermitage and plays an important component in the Red Rhône Blends of the south, adding color and structure to Grenache and Mourvèdre. Syrah is the most widely planted grape of Australia and is important in California and Washington. Sommelier Secret—Such a synergy these three create together, the Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre trio often takes on the shorthand term, “GSM.”
Spanning the longest stretch of river in the northern Rhône—from Condrieu in the north, to Cornas in the south—the heart of St.-Joseph lies directly across the Rhône River from Hermitage. While its soils are basically the same as Hermitage: granite, supplemented by sand and gravel, its east facing slope receives less sunlight than Hermitage, which causes less overall berry ripening on its Syrah vines. However, some of the best of them can rival any fine expression of Hermitage, Cote-Rotie or Cornas with concentrated black fruits, dark spices, crushed rock and violets. A general advantage of the region is that its Syrahs typically don’t need as much time in the bottle compared to a Cote-Rotie or Hermitage and are much easier on the bank account!
A textbook St.-Joseph red is firm with a core of minerality that is enhanced by savory and peppery qualities. Aromas and flavors of smoke, olives, herbs, and violets are common; its wines are dense in red and black fruit.
St.-Joseph is also a source of fine northern Rhône white wine. Viognier, Marsanne and Roussanne grow well here and can be blended or made into single varietal wines. St.-Joseph whites are full and silky with citrus, pear and pineapple flavors and a rich bouquet reminiscent of honeysuckle, toasted nuts, spice and caramel.