2021 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Poste

The shining star of the 2021 vintage at Château de Saint Cosme is the Gigondas Le Poste. Masterfully combining power and complexity, it neatly captures both the signature style of Louis Barruol and the personality of the 2021 vintage in Gigondas. Pronounced, intense aromas of orange blossom, rose petal, violets, redcurrant, raspberry, red plum, clove and cedar all grace this fragrant elixir. The concentrated palate accentuates the wine’s floral lift and offers a true sense of verticality. The 2021 Gigondas Le Poste is an instant classic and a strong contender for the wine of the vintage.

I loved the 2021 Gigondas Le Poste as well, although it's a touch more reserved and closed. Red and black fruit, tons of spring flowers, violets, and sappy underbrush, medium to full body, and ripe tannins all define this outstanding 2021, which needs 2-4 years of bottle age. As with all the best 2021s, it shines for its fresher, elegant, balanced style. This will drink beautifully from 2026-2036+. 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.

Deep magenta. Expansive, spice- and mineral-tinged black raspberry, kirsch and boysenberry aromas are complicated by suggestions of incense, lavender and smoky minerals. Alluringly sweet and focused in the mouth, offering densely packed red and blue fruit preserve, floral pastille and exotic spice flavors that smoothly balance weight and finesse. This wine shows superb finishing clarity and mineral lift on the penetrating and impressively long finish, which features polished tannins and resonating fruit, floral and mineral notes.