2019 Saint Cosme Côtes-du-Rhône 750 ml

When it comes to value, Saint Cosme’s Côtes-du-Rhône deserves its own tier. This is a historic, 100-point estate that Vinous ranks “among the Rhône Valley’s elite producers,” and whose most-coveted releases often command triple-digit prices. Yet we have their silky and lavish 2019 Côtes-du-Rhône for a fraction of that.

Saint Cosme’s 2017 and 2018 were instant hits among Wine Access members, who called them: “impressive,” a “great value,” and “one of the best Rhônes made.” We think the 2019 is even better, one-upping its siblings with a higher score from Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, which said it’s “a perennial bargain—and this could be its best vintage to date.”

At this point, it’s not a question of whether it will sell out, but how fast it will go.

An icon of the region, in the company of Vieux Télégraphe and Domaine de la Janasse, Château de Saint Cosme is “unquestionably one of the reference point estates… in the entire southern Rhône Valley,” according to Rhône expert Jeb Dunnuck. It’s the source of two 100-point wines in Parker’s pages, and three bottles that have made it onto Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list. While prices for proprietor Louis Barruol’s single-vineyard bottles typically hit triple digits, his Côtes-du-Rhône—an absolute masterclass in Syrah—shows just as deft a hand at expressing terroir. 

This wine is sourced from various vineyards (Barruol’s estate wines go by “Château de Saint Cosme”), and captures each site’s best qualities to craft a captivating Syrah. It’s unique to see 100% Syrah, since it’s typically part of Rhône blends, but this wine shows exactly the kind of luxury and elegance the grape can produce. This dark violet stunner warms the room with luscious aromas of berry and cherry compote, followed by a juicy, soft palate with spices woven throughout, ushering you toward its silky and polished finish. 

Louis Barruol is the 14th-generation winemaker at Château de Saint Cosme, an estate whose history stretches all the way back into the late 16th century. There still exists today a part of the cellar that was built by Romans in the year 100. The Barruols know this land inside and out, and that bone-deep sense of terroir shows: Wine Spectator has hailed Louis Barruol as “The Genius of Gigondas,” and his talent shines through in this exemplary Côtes-du-Rhône expression. 

Louis’s father, the late Henri-Louis, helped resuscitate the chateau’s fortunes in the 1960s after extensive replanting, and Louis continues to carry on many of his family’s time-honored traditions, both in the vineyard and the cellar. Whole-cluster fermentation is the norm, reflecting the Barruols’ belief that stems not only contribute tannins, complexity, depth, and spice, but even the “soul” of the wine. But Louis has one eye on the future as well, practicing organic viticulture and experimenting with biodynamic practices. Unlike his predecessors, he has also demonstrated a willingness to look beyond Gigondas in search of new challenges.

All of this adds up to consistently stellar wines year after year, and none comes at a better value than Saint Cosme’s Côtes-du-Rhône, a Syrah exemplar, and a true bargain superstar.