WTN: 2004 Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone France.

2004 Saint Cosme Cotes du Rhone France. 13.5% alcohol. $22 at Endless Vines. Imported by The Stacole Company, Boca Rotan FL. Medium red color, medium hue, lovely aroma of fruit and spice, limited fruit taste with very high acidity and an unpleasant dirty taste, unfortunately long finish. Undrinkable, with no obvious flaws, just miserable taste. 1*.

[A winery in a very beautiful part of France with usually very reliable wines in my experience. Even Homer stumbles from time to time, I suppose. It's awfully hard to see how this wine could improve with more time in the bottle.]

an unpleasant dirty taste...no obvious flaws

Not sure exactly what you mean by dirty, but that could very well be some sort of flaw or damage?

Wouldn't expect a high acid zero-fruited dirty wine to come from the Southern Rhone in 2004.

Not that I have much experience with the producer.

Bob,
St Cosme. I had the 98 Gigondas from them about a week ago (note posted) that, while not as bad as your CdR, was disappointing and rather lackluster. Hmmmm.
I don't know much about this producer...maybe what you and I experienced are the norm?? Anyone out there with more experience with this house?
Bill

Bob,
St Cosme. I had the 98 Gigondas from them about a week ago (note posted) that, while not as bad as your CdR, was disappointing and rather lackluster. Hmmmm.
I don't know much about this producer...maybe what you and I experienced are the norm?? Anyone out there with more experience with this house?
Bill

I wasn't too impressed with the 2004, but didn't find it dirty or acidic, just a bit hard. In 2001 vintage and before I used to like the CdR, a good value at about $10 for 100% Syrah. If anything the complaints would have been it was borderline modern, not dirty. The "Les Deux Albions" is even more modern/oaky.

I think the problem with the Gigondas (you had regular bottling?) was about the '95 vintage the "Valbelle" started getting massive RP points. An ITB friend felt that they diverted more and more fruit to increasing production of the Valbelle, making the regular Gigondas somewhat of a "second wine." The Valbelle is waaaayt heavy on the oak for me (and too pricey for Gigondas).

"Not sure exactly what you mean by dirty ... "

I asked Janet what she thought I meant, Rahsaan.

We were looking for good fruit to match a lamb stew, both for cooking and drinking with the dish at dinner.

We like the earthen notes in wines from this area, but we both thought those notes were dominant, not balanced with fruit. Too much of a good thing,

I'm groping here -- this house has received some favorable press over the past few years based on a quick Google search and the retailer has had a good experience with the wine generally. But this bottle didn't show well and there are so many nice wines out there that I wouldn't try it again.

Unless some one chimes in with a better experience.

I've had good luck with a miscellany of older vintages of their Chateauneuf du Pape, both red and white. I knew they had a good reputation; I did not know how much of it was based on Parker Points.

I have to agree that "highly acidic" seems bizarre for '04. But stranger things have happened.

Popped the 2001 Gigondas last night, and although it wasn't showing as much as it was last year, still not a bad wine. Do they still make the Saint James Basket Press wine? This was a wine they made in the early-mid 90's and was an inexpensive basic Cotes-du-Rhone blend.

I know they made the Little James Basket Press up to a few years ago. I think I still have a bottle from late 90's or even early 2000's. I remember it was described as a declassified Gigondas, and I remember that I was not impressed, but little more. The remaining bottle is gathering dust.