James Turnbull

"So pure and authentic are Barruol's wines, that Saint-Cosme is destined to become one of the great names of the southern Rhone." " Purity of fruit, expression of terroir." "Gigondas Valbelle is a dense wine, velvet of texture and extraordinarily rich, with a magnificent, smoky bouquet of pepper and ripe black fruit, and nuances of tobacco, leather, or game, depending on the vintage and age of the bottle. A magnificent triumph of old vines and non-interventionism!"

Andrew Jefford. "The New France"

"The young Louis Barruol has quickly emerged as one of the southern Rhone's most talented young winemakers." "The ambitious and articulate Louis Barruol is one of the new stars of the southern Rhone - and of the northern Rhone too, since the wines he has 'signed' from Condrieu and Cote Rotie are superb. Grace, purity, and singing fruit are three of the Barruol hallmarks; it is almost as if he is making Gigondas (always potentially a bruising wine) in the spirit of Cote Rotie itself. The Cotes du Rhone Les Deux Albion is a masterpiece of floral enchantment when young; even Barruol's celebrated prestige Gigondas Valbelle has an almost Pinot-like aromatic finesse, with beautifully restrained oak influence."

Robert Parker

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The Wine Spectator

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Erica Brown

"Proud of his heritage, he is determined to put Saint Cosme firmly on the world wine map."

Cuisine et Vins

"Il a l'appetit de la jeunesse et la sagesse propre a certains vignerons. En quelques annees, Louis Barruol est devenu l'une des tetes d'affiche de Gigondas."
Sept/Oct 2003

Terre de Vins

Château de Saint-Cosme (Gigondas 2001)
Personnalité trés belle. Robe rubis foncé, éclatante. Le nez est profond, mûr et élégant, sur la fraise confiturée, le poivre, le genièvre, avec de trés fines nuances de cuir frais et de sous bois. des tanins trés soyeux soutiennent une matière suave, harmonieuse et d'une grande élégance. finale longue et fraîche sur les épices.
Dominante: suavité.
Cépages: grenache (70%), syrah, cinsault.
Potentiel de garde: 5 ans et plus.
A deguster: Gibier à plume.

La Revue du Vin de France. (Rhone best bargain)

Les Deux Albion 2001 **** 4 stars
"Belle robe profonde, nez de crise noire et notes de cacao. Bouche charnue, genereuse, avec de l'ambition: bon vin genereux et mur."
(Juillet/Aout 2002)

Guide Bettane & Desseauve

"As for the negoce range, we enjoy white and red Cotes du Rhone, very well made, fruity and round, as well as the good Condrieu and Chateauneuf du Pape."

Guide Gilbert & Gaillard

Gigondas Valbelle 2001 (86/100)
"Purple colour. Elegant nose displaying aromas of red and black berries as well as cloves. Well structured, hints of black pepper. Harmonious wine, nice aromatic finish."

Gault et Millau

Condrieu Saint Cosme 2005 [18.5/20]
Côte Rôtie Saint Cosme 2005 [18/20]
Côtes du Rhône Saint Cosme « Les Deux Albion » 2005 [16/20]
Gigondas « Hominis Fides » 2005 [17/20]
Gigondas « Valbelle » 2005 [16/20]
Gigondas Château de Saint Cosme 2005 [17/20]

Stephen Tanzer

2006 Gigondas Château de Saint Cosme (88-90 pts)
2006 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Valbelle (90-93 pts)
2006 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Hominis Fides (92-94 pts)
2006 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Claux (92-95 pts)
2006 Château de Saint Cosme Gigondas Le Poste (91-94 pts)
2006 Saint Cosme Saint-Joseph (90-92 pts)
2006 Saint Cosme Côte Rôtie (92-94 pts)

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The Wall Street Journal

Friday October 4, 2002
Best of tasting: St Cosme Cote Rotie 1997
Best value: St Cosme Cote Rotie 1998

The Wine Magazine (Pick of the month, Oct.2002)

Great Value: Little James Red
"Louis Barruol of Chateau de St Cosme is one of the modern-day stars of the southern Rhone. His Gigondas, especially the Valbelle cuvee, may be the wine that has brought him to the attention of the world, but there's not a dissapointing wine in the entire portfolio. Moreover, Barruol has plenty to offer those on a tight budget, as this gem ably demonstrates. It's a humble vin de table, so the label, although entertaining with illustrations of Little James' wine making exploits, betrays little of what's in the bottle. But to clarify, this is the fruit of the young Gigondas vines of Saint Cosme from 2000, and the Lille James in question is Louis' son. It is no surprise, then, that the wine is so good. It's beautifully warm and welcoming, with throaty fig, plum, prune and berry flavours, and a spicy, tar-like finish, and all for less than six quid a bottle. While it doesn't have the longevity of the Gigondas, it should give immense pleasure at any time in the next three years."

Guide Hachette

Gigondas Valbelle 1995, ** 2 stars coup de coeur
Saint Cosme Cote Rotie 1997, ** 2 stars Coup de Coeur
"Vin magnifique a la couleur grenat brillant et au nez complexe, intense, avec des notes de cafe grille dues au fut et des evocations de fruits rouges. Son bel equilibre en bouche lui confere du charme, de la rondeur, de l'elegance: les tannins sont presents mais fins, avec une touche boisee. Une bouteille racee."
Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone 1998, ** 2 stars
"Une vendange bien mure, soignee et accompagnee a maturite: tel est le secret d'une remarquable reussite ... un palais tres souple et agreable, sur des parfums de fruit."
Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone Blanc 1998, * 1 star
Saint Cosme Chateauneuf du Pape 2001, * 1 star
"Ce puissant 2001 laisse eclater d'innombrables aromes tout en gardant sa fraicheur et sa finesse."
Saint Cosme Condrieu 2001, * 1 star
Saint Cosme Cote Rotie 2001, * 1 star

Decanter, "Spurrier's choice"

Best Old World White : Saint Cosme Condrieu 1998
"Louis Barruol (...) vinifies a handful of other appellations from bought in grapes. His Condrieu from late-picked hillside vineyards, has a pale golden colour, ripe white peach aromas and rich, unctuous fruit flavours, very pure and very, very long. Equally impressive is the modest price."

Guide des sommeliers 2004

Saint Cosme Cote Rotie 2001 (17/20)
"Robe rubis aux reflets violets. Nez de menthe, de myrrhe, de cassis et de reglisse evoluant sur des notes poivrees et toastees. Bouche puissante et ronde. Finale longue, fruitee et reglissee."
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas 2001 (18/20)
"Robe rubis aux reflets violets. Nez de fruits noirs (cerise, mures), de fruits a noyau (guigne, quetsche), et de garrigue evoluant sur des notes de poivre, de croute de pain frais et de reglisse. Bouche souple, ronde et fruitee dotee de tanins equilibres. Finale puissante et genereuse."
Chateau de Saint Cosme Gigondas Valbelle 2001 (18/20)
"Robe intense, rubis aux reflets violines. Nez aux aromes de pain toaste, de cafe, de cacao, de poivre, de vanille et de tabac blond evoluant sur des notes fruitees (cassis, fraise, framboise) et de pivoine. Bouche ronde, souple et fruitee dotee de tanins fins."

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