Chateau de Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone Les Deux Albion 2008 Front Label
Chateau de Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone Les Deux Albion 2008 Front Label

Winemaker Notes

Blend of Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvedre and Clairette co-fermented all together with six weeks maceration. Aged in wooden and concrete vats. Clay slope (ancient alluviums), limestony marl, rolling stones. "We have been cooking a lot in 2008, just like usual! Our Deux Albion vineyards have been vinified exactly the same way as the Gigondas wines. The cooking book says: crush and blend the grapes, leave the fermentation begin naturally, keep going adding cold grapes consistently. Then you'll control your temperature fermentation without working too much. If you are lazy, be clever. Leave the indigenous yeasts get exited by mixing them up. As you want to keep the delicate aromas, don't leave the yeasts become too hysterical by cooling down all the stuff. Don't burn your aromas. Don't ferment too hot. When you get to the end of the cooking, don't stop it, leave it keep going gently as long as possible. Take your time. It has to be slow. Then gently rack the wine and softly press the grapes. Taste very often. Taste several times per day. Taste again. Look for your own pleasure, then you'll get more chances to give pleasure. Serve at 16°C with a nice smile. Strawberry, earth, smoked ham, laurel

Professional Ratings

  • 90
    The 2008 Cotes du Rhone Les Deux Albion comes from Grenache planted in the Plan de Dieu and around the village of Carignan. Dark ruby/purple-hued, it offers plenty of kirsch and cassis notes intermixed with notions of underbrush, pepper, and earth. The wine cuts a broad, medium to full-bodied swath across the palate, and possesses impressive purity, length, and depth. It should drink nicely for 2-3 years.
Chateau de Saint Cosme

Chateau de Saint Cosme

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With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.

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Typically thought of as a baby Chateâuneuf-du-Pape, the term Côtes du Rhône actually doesn’t merely apply to the flatter outskirts of the major southern Rhône appellations, it also includes the fringes of well-respected northern Rhône appellations. White wines can be produced under the appellation name, but very little is actually made.

The region offers some of the best values in France and even some first-rate and age-worthy reds. Red wine varieties include most of the Chateâuneuf-du-Pape varieties like Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise, as well as Carignan. White grapes grown include Grenache blanc, Roussanne and Viognier, among others.

EPC15708_2008 Item# 103344