Château de Saint-Cosme, Syrah, Gigondas "Le Claux" Rhône, France 2016

The Château de Saint Cosme 'Le Claux' is produced from very old mixed plantings of Grenache in the ‘Le Claux’ named vineyard. Whole cluster fermentation. Limestone marl from the Miocene epoch, in the Font des Papes alluvial fan. Twelve months’ aging: 20% in new casks - 50% in casks used for one wine - 30% in casks used for two wines.

"As many of you already know, this vineyard – planted in 1870 – was due to be grubbed up in 1914 because after 44 years it had already started producing fewer grapes. It was not uprooted quite simply because all the men had gone off to fight on the frontlines of the First World War – my great uncles and the workers, everyone. Lack of manpower changed the fate of this vineyard. Uncle Albert and Uncle Henri never came home and their brother Georges prefered to stay in Beaumes de Venise where you could produce fruit and vegetables that were much more profitable than wine. My grandmother therefore stayed on alone at Saint Cosme and she never grubbed up Le Claux due to lack of help and money to subsequently replant the 1.8-hectare vineyard. When my father took over the estate, just after he got married in 1957, he realised that there was virtually no organic matter left in the soils of Le Claux. His cousin, Vincent de Boisséson, a farmer in Tarn, then sent him his sheep manure for many years. The manure, which was spread over Le Claux in huge amounts in the 1960s literally saved this vineyard which was then given a complete new lease of life. We now tend to Le Claux like a garden, grafting out in the field to produce better replacement vines. The vineyard is a marvelous old lady who tells us a different story every year. We will never uproot the vines in Le Claux. Peat, oriental spices, camphor and truffle. Bottled unfiltered."