2021 Cotes du Rhone, Les Deux Albion, Château de Saint Cosme
Rhône Valley, France
Southern Rhône in evening light
Dark, savoury and beautifully composed, the 2021 Les Deux Albion feels like one of those Rhône reds that overdelivers from the very first glass. Black plum, crushed blackberry and blackcurrant rise first, followed by notes of roasted herbs, olive tapenade, pepper and warm spice, with a subtle meaty edge that gives the wine extra depth and seriousness. The palate is textured and layered, balancing ripe dark fruit with fine tannins, fresh acidity and a lovely thread of earth and garrigue. There is generosity here, but also real control, making it feel more sculpted than broad, more refined than rustic. The finish is long, savoury and quietly powerful, leaving behind spice, dark fruit and that unmistakable southern Rhône warmth. The 2021 blend includes Syrah, Grenache, Carignan, Mourvèdre and Clairette, sourced from Plan de Dieu, Saint-Maurice and Cairanne.
For when: the roast is slow-cooking and the conversation is in no hurry.
Pairs with: grilled lamb, venison, roast mushrooms, or anything touched with rosemary, thyme and smoke.
If this wine were a place: a hillside in the southern Rhône at dusk, full of wild herbs, warm stone and fading sun.
Château de Saint Cosme is one of the Rhône’s great historic names, with wine made on the site since Roman times and the Barruol family in possession of the estate since 1490. Louis Barruol has built a formidable reputation for wines that combine old-vine depth with freshness, detail and a strong sense of terroir. Les Deux Albion is his Côtes du Rhône statement, drawing fruit from villages with more serious pedigree than the appellation suggests and made with native yeasts and long élevage to deliver a wine of real depth, structure and finesse.
Whats in the bottle
Cinsault 2%, Clairette 3%, Grenache 50%, Mourvèdre 30%, Syrah 15%
Notable Awards
92 points, James Suckling