Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas le Poste 2017
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Le Poste’s cool microclimate and limestone soil make it one of Saint Cosme’s most structured, aromatic, and mineral intense wines of the estate. This wine always walks a knife's edge of power and finesse thanks to its deep fruit and precise structure. The wine features aromas and flavors of iodine, violet, pepper, and ash.
Grenache is the pale-colored, red-fruited, and potpourri-scented red grape variety of the southern Rhône and can be paired with both rustic and sophisticated dishes. Full-bodied Grenache-based wines are ideal with stews, braises, and grilled meats, while lighter versions can work well with dark fish and tomato-based dishes such as ratatouille.
Professional Ratings
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Decanter
Aromatically very deep, with blackberry fruits emerging from the oak chrysalis along with lavender notes. So silky, juicy and fine. Massy, thick and chewy tannins. Dark, black fruit compote on the palate, but fully dry. Remarkable depth and darkness of fruit. Very long.
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Jeb Dunnuck
More closed and backward than either the Hominis Fides or Le Claux, the 2017 Gigondas Le Poste is nevertheless just as impressive and offers its hallmark purity and elegance paired with stunning richness and depth. Black and blue fruits, crushed rocks, graphite, and a beautiful violet character all define the bouquet. Rich, full-bodied, and concentrated, it’s the purity of fruit and balance that set this beauty above just about every other Gigondas out there. Do your best to hide bottles for at least 4-5 years. Rating: 97+
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
More civilized than it was last year out of barrel, the 2017 Gigondas le Poste boasts lovely blueberry and cassis fruit. It's full-bodied and intense yet silky and darn near elegant on the palate. Don't underestimate the quantity of (ripe) tannins here, which provide a pleasant chewiness to the long, salted-licorice finish.
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Wine Spectator
This is packed with steeped fig, blackberry and boysenberry confiture notes, laced liberally with violet, anise, tobacco and lavender accents. Has enough grip through the finish to keep it honest, with tar and juniper notes adding spine and heft. A beauty
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James Suckling
A curiosité of soil in this parcel with tortonian limestone, like in Barolo. The nose is so elegant with a fragrant, dried-wood and camphor note and a lighter, redder fruit edge. The palate has such finesse and a very discreet, smooth and compact style. This has a very fresh, red-to-purple fruit feel at the firm, dense finish. Unique texture here. Try from 2024.
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Wine Enthusiast
Warming veins of Bourbon, clove, cinnamon and vanilla extend from nose to finish in this massive, fleshy red. Luscious fig and cherry flavors are unabashedly hedonistic but gripped by firm, framing tannins. It drinks beautifully already but should improve through 2031. Editors’ Choice.
Other Vintages
2021- Vinous
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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.
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.
The Southern Rhône region of Gigondas extends northwest from the notably jagged wall of mountains called the Dentelles di Montmirail, whose highest point climbs to about 2,600 feet. The region and its wines have much in common with the neighboring Chateauneuf-du-Pape except that the vineyards of Gigondas exist at higher elevation and its soils, comprised mainly of crumbled limestone from the Dentelles, often produce a more dense and robust Grenache-based red wine.
The region has a history of fine winemaking, extending back to Roman times. But by the 20th century, Gigondas was merely lumped into the less distinct zone of Côtes du Rhône Villages. However, it was first among these satellite villages to earn its own appellation, which occurred in 1971.
Gigondas reds must be between 50 to 100% Grenache with Syrah and Mourvèdre comprising the bulk of the remainder of the blend. They tend express rustic flavors and aromas of wild blackberry, raspberry, fig, plum, as well as juniper, dried herbs, anise, smoke and river rock. The best are bold but balanced, and finish with impressively sexy and velvety tannins.
The Gigondas appellation also produces rosé but no white wines.