Château de Saint Cosme

Acquired by the Barruol family in 1490, Château de Saint Cosme is the oldest winery in Gigondas. Vines with an average age of 70 years are one of the key reasons for the quality of this estate.

Château de Saint Cosme is located in the heart of Gigondas. It is the appellation’s oldest winery. The Gallo-Roman vats that are carved into the rocks of its cellar are still in perfect condition.

Tradition of organic viticulture

This property has been in the Barruol family since 1490, with Louis Barruol currently the 15th-generation owner of the business. Saint Cosme began farming organically in 1972, even though Louis’ father Henri was still selling his wines in barrel to négociants at that time. For Henri, this was not about making a profit, but preserving and maintaining his vineyards for the following generation. To this day, the estate refrains from using herbicides, artificial manure, pesticides and synthetic treatments. The winery is now Ecocert-certified and also a close adherent to biodynamic principles.

Acquisition of Château de Rouanne

In 2019, Louis Barruol bought Château de Rouanne in Vinsobres – a village that obtained appellation status in 2006. Saint Cosme suddenly expanded from 32 to 94 hectares following this acquisition. Although Vinsobres is not as well known as its peers, its classification puts it on a par with Gigondas, Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Côte-Rôtie and Hermitage, which speaks volumes about the quality of its terroir.

“Most of what we do at Saint Cosme is done by hand. I want to make wines that provide pure and precise expressions of their terroir and origins. Wines of personality and harmony.” 

Louis Barruol 

saintcosme.com