Those who love and follow the powerful red wines of the southern Rhone Valley will certainly be familiar with Chateau de Saint Cosme.  Located in the famous town and appellation of Gigondas, a stone’s throw from Chateauneuf du Pape, Saint Cosme has been producing the region’s hearty red blends for countless years.  In fact, the Barruol family, owners of this illustrious domaine, trace their family history in the village back to 1490, a very long time!  Of course, winemaking in the Rhone Valley stretches back even further, beginning with the Greeks in 600 B.C. and followed by the Romans, who recognized the region’s importance for trade, with wine being a major commodity.  Not that long ago, the Barruols launched a new venture, making wines, a red and a white, under the IGP (Protected Geographical Indication) designation Principauté d’Orange and labeled as Domaine de Saint Cosme Les Deux Albion.  These are basically Cotes du Rhone blends, elevated from simple Vin du Pays because of their higher quality.  This new property, about ten hectares in size, is situated just across the river from Gigondas in the village of Violès. Farmed bio-dynamically, like their other estate vineyards, the Les Deux Albion is entirely estate grown.  The wines benefit greatly from the high concentration of limestone in the rocky soils of the district and the southern exposure of the hillside vineyards guarantees full ripeness while the cooling influence of the Mediterranean Sea tempers the excesses of the summer heat.  The IGP Valcluse is a conglomeration of several of the region’s most distinctive varietals: Viognier, Marsanne, Picpoul, Bourboulenc, Clairette and Ugni Blanc.  Aged in neutral oak barrels, the wine is a symphony of aromas and flavors with both a lush texture and a bright fresh feel, sort of a best of both worlds.  It’s a wine to pair with the richness of the regional cuisine; seafood, poultry, lamb and fresh vegetables; all seasoned with the fresh, aromatic herbs of the sunny south. This is a really fun quaff right now and I think we have it at an excellent price.  Drink some this weekend? – Frank Rothstein, Minister of Value