2020 Côte-Rôtie

Gigondas-based Louis Barruol’s obsession with Syrah and the Northern Rhône is palpable. The wines Barruol makes under the negociant label (not “Château Saint-Cosme”) have been going from strength to strength for some time. Louis Barruol current releases are his best efforts yet, especially the vibrant 2020s. Barruol is particularly interested in Serine, “the mother Syrah”; his wines show the spice-, mineral- and floral-driven personalities that the variety typically conveys. Louis Barruol likes to work with whole clusters and is not afraid of new oak. These wines will benefit from patience and possibly drink well beyond my usual, admittedly conservative, drinking windows.

Gigondas-based Louis Barruol’s obsession with Syrah and the Northern Rhône is palpable. The wines Barruol makes under the negociant label (not “Château Saint-Cosme”) have been going from strength to strength for some time. Louis Barruol current releases are his best efforts yet, especially the vibrant 2020s. Barruol is particularly interested in Serine, “the mother Syrah”; his wines show the spice-, mineral- and floral-driven personalities that the variety typically conveys. Louis Barruol likes to work with whole clusters and is not afraid of new oak. These wines will benefit from patience and possibly drink well beyond my usual, admittedly conservative, drinking windows.

Louis Barruol’s passion for Syrah, specifically in its original iteration, Serine, is palpable, as anybody who has had the chance to discuss the subject and taste the wine with him will attest. Barruol set up this négociant operation back in 2000 and has been sourcing fruit from a consistent set of growers in the north ever since. Sadly, the piece of the Nève lieu-dit, which sits high up in the Côte-Brune sector of Côte-Rôtie and with which he has worked since the beginning, was recently sold, so it’s back to the drawing board to find a new source of fruit. “That’s going to be really hard,” he told me. “I love that site but because so many of the best vineyards of the small farmers have been bought by domaines or large wineries, that leaves small négociants, like me, out in the cold.” I found both the 2015 and 2016 vintages to be quite successful for Barruol, who noted that they “couldn’t be more different. With 2015 you have power, broad shoulders and structure and with 2016 you have energy, you have more detail. It’s more of a terroir vintage for now.” While Barruol is confident that the 2016s will age well “with no worries,” he thinks that the 2015s “are just wines to forget for now and for a while. They are beasts.”

Louis Barruol’s passion for Syrah, specifically in its original iteration, Serine, is palpable, as anybody who has had the chance to discuss the subject and taste the wine with him will attest. Barruol set up this négociant operation back in 2000 and has been sourcing fruit from a consistent set of growers in the north ever since. Sadly, the piece of the Nève lieu-dit, which sits high up in the Côte-Brune sector of Côte-Rôtie and with which he has worked since the beginning, was recently sold, so it’s back to the drawing board to find a new source of fruit. “That’s going to be really hard,” he told me. “I love that site but because so many of the best vineyards of the small farmers have been bought by domaines or large wineries, that leaves small négociants, like me, out in the cold.” I found both the 2015 and 2016 vintages to be quite successful for Barruol, who noted that they “couldn’t be more different. With 2015 you have power, broad shoulders and structure and with 2016 you have energy, you have more detail. It’s more of a terroir vintage for now.” While Barruol is confident that the 2016s will age well “with no worries,” he thinks that the 2015s “are just wines to forget for now and for a while. They are beasts.”

Like other négociants, Louis Barruol has been feeling the squeeze from recent short crops in the northern Rhône. He told me that his production for the three red wines that he makes from the north have been off by around 25% in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and that "even though the quality was excellent, the low yields have hurt a lot." Barruol is a vocal proponent of the ancient, original Syrah, Serine, which he thinks "blows away the clone-selection Syrahs that the nurseries pushed in the 1960s." These Syrahs, he says, make wines "that show none of the character of the great northern Rhône wines from producers like Verset, Trollat or Gentaz."

Like other négociants, Louis Barruol has been feeling the squeeze from recent short crops in the northern Rhône. He told me that his production for the three red wines that he makes from the north have been off by around 25% in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and that "even though the quality was excellent, the low yields have hurt a lot." Barruol is a vocal proponent of the ancient, original Syrah, Serine, which he thinks "blows away the clone-selection Syrahs that the nurseries pushed in the 1960s." These Syrahs, he says, make wines "that show none of the character of the great northern Rhône wines from producers like Verset, Trollat or Gentaz."

The northern Rhone red wines produced by Gigondas-based Louis Barruol for his negociant label are always 100% serine because he believes that "it's not possible to get maximum expression from clones, which always put fruit ahead of terroirand lack the perfume of serine, especially as the wines age." He admitted that it's tough to do business in the north as a small negoce because he has to compete with deep-pocketed, aggressive northern Rhone-based wineries that are pursuing the same fruit. As prices for vineyard land continue to rise, more wineries are having to source grapes rather than buy hyper-expensive land in the best appellations, he said, putting smaller--and in particular outside--buyers like him into an increasingly difficult spot. "Relationships are everything, and always have been, but especially now because there's a lot of money floating around and it's not going to slow down."

The northern Rhone red wines produced by Gigondas-based Louis Barruol for his negociant label are always 100% serine because he believes that "it's not possible to get maximum expression from clones, which always put fruit ahead of terroirand lack the perfume of serine, especially as the wines age." He admitted that it's tough to do business in the north as a small negoce because he has to compete with deep-pocketed, aggressive northern Rhone-based wineries that are pursuing the same fruit. As prices for vineyard land continue to rise, more wineries are having to source grapes rather than buy hyper-expensive land in the best appellations, he said, putting smaller--and in particular outside--buyers like him into an increasingly difficult spot. "Relationships are everything, and always have been, but especially now because there's a lot of money floating around and it's not going to slow down."

Louis Barruol told me that he likes to work with oak for all white wines "because it rounds the wines out, which is especially important when people drink them young, like they do now."He described the 2009 northern Rhone whites as "easy wines that can be drunk young, unlike the 2008s and 2010s, which are brighter but show more tightness than the '09s."As for the red wines, Barruol says thatthe tannins of 2010 are more harmonious and finer than those of 2009, which makes them more approachable."The 2009s can be rough now and they will be for a few more years, maybe more."He added that he believes the 2010s will probably have a longer life than the equivalent 2009s "because of their balance," but that they won't have the drama and power of the earlier vintage. (The Country Vintner, www.countryvintner.com; Epic Wines, www.epic-wines.com; Cavatappi Distribuzione, www.cavatappi.com)

Louis Barruol told me that he likes to work with oak for all white wines "because it rounds the wines out, which is especially important when people drink them young, like they do now."He described the 2009 northern Rhone whites as "easy wines that can be drunk young, unlike the 2008s and 2010s, which are brighter but show more tightness than the '09s."As for the red wines, Barruol says thatthe tannins of 2010 are more harmonious and finer than those of 2009, which makes them more approachable."The 2009s can be rough now and they will be for a few more years, maybe more."He added that he believes the 2010s will probably have a longer life than the equivalent 2009s "because of their balance," but that they won't have the drama and power of the earlier vintage. (The Country Vintner, www.countryvintner.com; Epic Wines, www.epic-wines.com; Cavatappi Distribuzione, www.cavatappi.com)

Louis Barruol acknowledged that 2007 is "a fantastic vintage, no question, but the jury is out on how the wines will age. They're big, rich, forward and extroverted but that's not always the recipe for a graceful or long evolution. It's great if you like to drink your wines young, or somewhat young. Whether they have the backbone to age and evolve is the question. If you're after sweet fruit above all else, this is your vintage, for sure. For real complexity, we'll see." For those with patience and cool cellars Barruol can't recommend the 2005s highly enough, by the way. "That's the vintage you want if you like to drink wines with more than a decade of age on them," he told me.

Louis Barruol acknowledged that 2007 is "a fantastic vintage, no question, but the jury is out on how the wines will age. They're big, rich, forward and extroverted but that's not always the recipe for a graceful or long evolution. It's great if you like to drink your wines young, or somewhat young. Whether they have the backbone to age and evolve is the question. If you're after sweet fruit above all else, this is your vintage, for sure. For real complexity, we'll see." For those with patience and cool cellars Barruol can't recommend the 2005s highly enough, by the way. "That's the vintage you want if you like to drink wines with more than a decade of age on them," he told me.

Louis Barruol described 2007 as "a vintage of great freshness, with immediate accessibility, which is the opposite of 2005. If you don't have patience, then 2005 isn't your year. " Growers up and down the river are under increased pressure from negociants for high-quality fruit, Barruol told me, "and it has become increasingly difficult for a small operation like us to compete for fruit with the big outside money that has started to come into the region. My family has been here for over 500 years, so it is more than a little disconcerting to think that we might be marginalized in the near future. "

Kitchen W8 is well worth seeking out. I enjoyed the local, relaxed ambiance, perhaps things moving at a slightly slower pace here than elsewhere in the city. Prices are more reasonable than many, especially for lunch and early evening, and the quality of cooking is very assured and unpretentious.

Louis Barruol described 2007 as "a vintage of great freshness, with immediate accessibility, which is the opposite of 2005. If you don't have patience, then 2005 isn't your year. " Growers up and down the river are under increased pressure from negociants for high-quality fruit, Barruol told me, "and it has become increasingly difficult for a small operation like us to compete for fruit with the big outside money that has started to come into the region. My family has been here for over 500 years, so it is more than a little disconcerting to think that we might be marginalized in the near future. "

Louis Barruol finds his 2006 northern Rhone wines to be more restrained than the 2005s, but believes that their low pHs will lift them, like Burgundies. In the south, he says, "the 2006s are a lot like the '99s, with more ripeness and great freshness. They will be delicious young but will also age." He pointed out that "20 years ago, 2006 would have been considered an extremely ripe year but now it's a normal one." As for his 2005s from both ends of the river, he advised putting them away "because it would be a shame to drink them now." He also made a point of saying that he is extremely happy with how the 2004s are turning out, especially in the south.

Louis Barruol finds his 2006 northern Rhone wines to be more restrained than the 2005s, but believes that their low pHs will lift them, like Burgundies. In the south, he says, "the 2006s are a lot like the '99s, with more ripeness and great freshness. They will be delicious young but will also age." He pointed out that "20 years ago, 2006 would have been considered an extremely ripe year but now it's a normal one." As for his 2005s from both ends of the river, he advised putting them away "because it would be a shame to drink them now." He also made a point of saying that he is extremely happy with how the 2004s are turning out, especially in the south.

When I asked Louis Barruol for his impressions on current vintages, he told me that "2004 has an elegance, almost an austerity, that's a lot like 1999 in both the north and the south. I think that the wines will really age and I like them quite a bit since my preference is for precise wines. Two thousand five," he went on, "has a remarkable fruit/acid balance. The acid and pH are such that you don't really notice the ripeness, which is quite interesting. "Although he is a child of the south and is based at his family's ancient domain in Gigondas, I continue to be struck by Barruol's sure hand with his northern Rhone wines, especially his Cote-Rotie, which is sourced almost exclusively from the Cote Brune. (Chemin des Vins; imported by Millesimes Fine Wine Traders, Boston, MA; Wine Warehouse; Los Angeles; CA; Fine Vines, Chicago, IL; The Stacole Company, Inc. , Boca Raton, FL; also imported by Vintage '59 Imports, Washington, D. C. )

When I asked Louis Barruol for his impressions on current vintages, he told me that "2004 has an elegance, almost an austerity, that's a lot like 1999 in both the north and the south. I think that the wines will really age and I like them quite a bit since my preference is for precise wines. Two thousand five," he went on, "has a remarkable fruit/acid balance. The acid and pH are such that you don't really notice the ripeness, which is quite interesting. "Although he is a child of the south and is based at his family's ancient domain in Gigondas, I continue to be struck by Barruol's sure hand with his northern Rhone wines, especially his Cote-Rotie, which is sourced almost exclusively from the Cote Brune. (Chemin des Vins; imported by Millesimes Fine Wine Traders, Boston, MA; Wine Warehouse; Los Angeles; CA; Fine Vines, Chicago, IL; The Stacole Company, Inc. , Boca Raton, FL; also imported by Vintage '59 Imports, Washington, D. C. )

Young and energetic, with a tendency toward reflection that seems beyond his years, Louis Barruol has quickly emerged as one of the Rhone Valley's most exciting producers.Regardless of their appellation, his wines are precise in flavor and graceful in texture."My goal is to harvest at optimal ripeness, not overripeness," explains Barruol, who is dedicated to working with old vines.Barruol is an outstanding source of Rhone wines whose work seems to be improving from vintage to vintage.(Patrick Lesec Selections; imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL; Vintage '59 Imports, Washington, D.C.)

Young and energetic, with a tendency toward reflection that seems beyond his years, Louis Barruol has quickly emerged as one of the Rhone Valley's most exciting producers.Regardless of their appellation, his wines are precise in flavor and graceful in texture."My goal is to harvest at optimal ripeness, not overripeness," explains Barruol, who is dedicated to working with old vines.Barruol is an outstanding source of Rhone wines whose work seems to be improving from vintage to vintage.(Patrick Lesec Selections; imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL; Vintage '59 Imports, Washington, D.C.)

The talented Louis Barruol did not make his specialx000D Gigondas Cuvee Valbelle in 2000, as he did not find enough difference in stylex000D between the fruit that would go into this bottling and the rest. Not surprisingly, he rates 2000 as highlyx000D successful and very ripe, but not quite up to 1998 in quality. He is enamored of the 2001s, however. The sugars really exploded late in thex000D harvest season, and the skins ripened late," he told me. At the beginning I didn't think 2001x000D was exceptional, but the wines have really progressed with elevage. It's turning out to be a greatx000D vintage." Barruol favors Vosgesx000D oak for his Cote-Rotie and Gigondas bottlings, with the wood dried for 36x000D months and charred very slowly. The drying of the wood is critical because the quality of the winex000D really comes during the second year of elevage," he noted. (Patrick Lesec Selections, imported byx000D Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL;x000D and Michel Schlumberger Wines, Healdsburg, CA)

The talented Louis Barruol did not make his specialx000D Gigondas Cuvee Valbelle in 2000, as he did not find enough difference in stylex000D between the fruit that would go into this bottling and the rest. Not surprisingly, he rates 2000 as highlyx000D successful and very ripe, but not quite up to 1998 in quality. He is enamored of the 2001s, however. The sugars really exploded late in thex000D harvest season, and the skins ripened late," he told me. At the beginning I didn't think 2001x000D was exceptional, but the wines have really progressed with elevage. It's turning out to be a greatx000D vintage." Barruol favors Vosgesx000D oak for his Cote-Rotie and Gigondas bottlings, with the wood dried for 36x000D months and charred very slowly. The drying of the wood is critical because the quality of the winex000D really comes during the second year of elevage," he noted. (Patrick Lesec Selections, imported byx000D Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL;x000D and Michel Schlumberger Wines, Healdsburg, CA)

In his cool, late-ripening corner of the Gigondas appellation, Louis Barruol prefers the 2000 vintage to 1999 for its ripeness. Yields were full, even in the estate's old vines, said Barruol, "and this prevented the vintage from being a great year like 1998. But Nature was perfect this year: rain at the end of August came just when we needed it, and we had very good conditions in early October for the harvest." However, there will be no Gigondas Cuvee Valbelle in 2000: "The cuvee classique is very good, but our best cuvees were not quite up to the quality of '98 or '95," said Barruol, who maintains a particularly high standard for this special bottling. (Patrick Lesec Selections, imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL; Associated Wine Distributors, American Canyon, CA; and Michel Schlumberger Wines, Healdsburg, CA)

In his cool, late-ripening corner of the Gigondas appellation, Louis Barruol prefers the 2000 vintage to 1999 for its ripeness. Yields were full, even in the estate's old vines, said Barruol, "and this prevented the vintage from being a great year like 1998. But Nature was perfect this year: rain at the end of August came just when we needed it, and we had very good conditions in early October for the harvest." However, there will be no Gigondas Cuvee Valbelle in 2000: "The cuvee classique is very good, but our best cuvees were not quite up to the quality of '98 or '95," said Barruol, who maintains a particularly high standard for this special bottling. (Patrick Lesec Selections, imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL; Associated Wine Distributors, American Canyon, CA; and Michel Schlumberger Wines, Healdsburg, CA)

By coincidence, I went directly from a tasting with Yves Gras at Domaine Santa-Duc to Louis Barruol at the Chateau de Saint-Cosme, proceeding from vines with port-like ripeness to examples made from what Barruol describes as "an especially cool, late-ripening spot." These are two of the most talented producers in the Gigondas appellation, but their wines could hardly be more different. Gras includes a good bit of mourvedre in his Hautes Garrigues cuvee while Barruol doesn't own a single mourvedre vine, as his soils would not ripen the fruit adequately. Syrah, on the other hand, does well at Saint-Cosme. The fruit lacked a bit of maturity in '99, said Barruol, and significant triage was necessary. He will not offer a 1999 Cuvee Valbelle, and the basic cuvee will be a much stronger wine as a result of this decision. Barruol macerates his Gigondas for 40 days, with the stems, punching down the cap, pumping over and carrying out periodic delestage a process whereby the juice is drained from the tank, then poured back over the solids]. The malolactic fermentation is done in barriques and the press wine actually finishes its alcoholic fermentation in barrels. Barruol is one of a growing number of Southern Rhone producers who believe that grenache is a highly aromatic variety that should be handled gently and aged like pinot noir. Accordingly, he racks his wine only when it assembled after the fermentation and then not again until it is being prepared for the bottling. The Condrieu and the Cote-Roties noted below are negociant wines. (Patrick Lesec Selections, imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL; and Michel-Schlumberger Wines Ltd., Healdsburg, CA)

By coincidence, I went directly from a tasting with Yves Gras at Domaine Santa-Duc to Louis Barruol at the Chateau de Saint-Cosme, proceeding from vines with port-like ripeness to examples made from what Barruol describes as "an especially cool, late-ripening spot." These are two of the most talented producers in the Gigondas appellation, but their wines could hardly be more different. Gras includes a good bit of mourvedre in his Hautes Garrigues cuvee while Barruol doesn't own a single mourvedre vine, as his soils would not ripen the fruit adequately. Syrah, on the other hand, does well at Saint-Cosme. The fruit lacked a bit of maturity in '99, said Barruol, and significant triage was necessary. He will not offer a 1999 Cuvee Valbelle, and the basic cuvee will be a much stronger wine as a result of this decision. Barruol macerates his Gigondas for 40 days, with the stems, punching down the cap, pumping over and carrying out periodic delestage a process whereby the juice is drained from the tank, then poured back over the solids]. The malolactic fermentation is done in barriques and the press wine actually finishes its alcoholic fermentation in barrels. Barruol is one of a growing number of Southern Rhone producers who believe that grenache is a highly aromatic variety that should be handled gently and aged like pinot noir. Accordingly, he racks his wine only when it assembled after the fermentation and then not again until it is being prepared for the bottling. The Condrieu and the Cote-Roties noted below are negociant wines. (Patrick Lesec Selections, imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL; and Michel-Schlumberger Wines Ltd., Healdsburg, CA)

Louis Barruol took over this 15-hectare domain from his father in 1997, and with his '98s will quickly establish himself as one of the stars of the appellation. With his wire-rim glasses and studious mien, Baruel looks like a young professor at the University of Gigondas. The cellar here, in the subbasement of his Gallo-Roman house, features the remnants of a cuverie from the 2nd century. "It was constructed on different levels, even back then, which meant that they could do racking by gravity," says Barruol. Most of Barruol Gigondas vines are in spots he describes as "trop tardive et trop sec," perfect for syrah and grenache but far from ideal for mourvedre ("I don't have one vine of mourvedre,"). He can pick the syrah very late, with the grenache, and ferment the two varieties together, which he says creates important synergy. The harvest here in '98 began in Indian summer conditions at the beginning of October, more than a week after the rains of the equinox. Barruol also has a small negociant business in the north, thus far specializing in Cote-Rotie and Condrieu. (Patrick Lesec Selections, imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL; and Michel-Schlumberger Wines Ltd., Healdsburg, CA)

Louis Barruol took over this 15-hectare domain from his father in 1997, and with his '98s will quickly establish himself as one of the stars of the appellation. With his wire-rim glasses and studious mien, Baruel looks like a young professor at the University of Gigondas. The cellar here, in the subbasement of his Gallo-Roman house, features the remnants of a cuverie from the 2nd century. "It was constructed on different levels, even back then, which meant that they could do racking by gravity," says Barruol. Most of Barruol Gigondas vines are in spots he describes as "trop tardive et trop sec," perfect for syrah and grenache but far from ideal for mourvedre ("I don't have one vine of mourvedre,"). He can pick the syrah very late, with the grenache, and ferment the two varieties together, which he says creates important synergy. The harvest here in '98 began in Indian summer conditions at the beginning of October, more than a week after the rains of the equinox. Barruol also has a small negociant business in the north, thus far specializing in Cote-Rotie and Condrieu. (Patrick Lesec Selections, imported by Classic Wine Imports, Boston, MA; The Stacole Company, Inc., Boca Raton, FL; and Michel-Schlumberger Wines Ltd., Healdsburg, CA)