70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 14% Syrah, 1% Cinsault

Food pairings: Stews, braises and grilled meats.

Winemaking: The grapes are fermented as whole clusters with indigenous yeasts. The wine is aged for 12 months in barrels (20% new) and concrete tanks, and bottled without fining or filtration.

Vineyards and terroir: The estate lies in the heart of Gigondas, in the shade of the Dentelles de Montmirail, on limestone soils. The vines are gobelet-trained and farmed organically and biodynamically (biodynamic since 2010).

Family and history: Château de Saint Cosme has been in the hands of the Barruol family since 1490. On the property stands an 11th–12th-century Romanesque chapel, surrounded by the Le Poste vineyard, and the estate still has Gallo-Roman vats cut into the rock. Henri Barruol farmed organically from 1972, and his son Louis Barruol took over in 1992, leading a dramatic shift to quality; in 1997 he also started a small négociant business, whose wines are labeled simply "Saint Cosme".

In the pictures: The Saint Cosme chapel among the estate's vines, with sheep grazing between the rows (photo: Aocgigondas, Wikimedia Commons, CC0); Louis Barruol; and the Château de Saint Cosme sign at the estate (photos courtesy of Winebow).