2020 Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone 750 ml

When it comes to value, Saint Cosme’s Côtes-du-Rhône deserves its own tier. 

The historic 100-point estate, which Vinous ranks “among the Rhône Valley’s elite producers,” crafts coveted wines that often command triple-digit prices. It’s “unquestionably one of the reference point estates…in the entire southern Rhône Valley,” according to Rhône expert Jeb Dunnuck. Wine Advocate has put two of their wines at the 100-point pinnacle and three bottles have made it onto Wine Spectator’s Top 100 list. 

The past three vintages of their Côtes-du-Rhône were instant hits among Wine Access members, who called them “impressive” and “one of the best Rhônes made.” Born in the hot days and cool nights of the 2020 growing season, this bottling is certain to please red-wine lovers who crave concentration and richness married to the classic aromatics of the French countryside—as evidenced by its 4.2-star member-reviews. The pure-fruit essence that the wine achieves is absolutely remarkable for a bottle at this price point. 

Louis Barruol is the 14th-generation winemaker at Saint Cosme and his bone-deep sense of terroir shows. Wine Spectator has hailed him as “The Genius of Gigondas,” and his single-vineyard bottles often cost well over $100, but his Côtes-du-Rhône—a masterclass in Syrah—also shows the magic his deft hand can work. 

When Barruol, a studious renaissance man, isn’t making wine, he’s practicing his cello or playing on a local rugby squad, but he still found time to convert his estate to biodynamics in 2010, taking centuries of accumulated vineyard expertise to its apex.

This is a bargain superstar year in and year out, and our members always jump at the chance to stock up on it. Take one sip and you’ll see why.