Domaine La Barroche’s wines are some of the most consistently delicious in the Rhône and despite having centuries of experience, their prices have remained modest across the board. You simply cannot find a more ‘in tune’ Châteauneuf-du-Pape at this low price. “Signature” has always delivered massive depth and concentration and, regardless of vintage, has never lost an iota of freshness—thanks to the Barrot family’s time-honored mastery of Grenache. Their small vineyard holdings are situated in some of the greatest terroirs (one is adjacent to Rayas) and their vines average 70 years of age—with many exceeding the century mark!
While the Barrots’ roots date back over 600 years, the modern-day domaine has seen a remarkable facelift: Proprietors and siblings Julien and Laetitia Barrot have held tradition firmly in place while homing in on pure wines of focus and unmitigated power. Their motto is simple: “You cannot make a great wine without a great terroir, and a great terroir is nothing without the winemaker’s love for his vines.” This is red wine at its grandest; its balancing act of opulence and freshness is truly unrivaled in this price range. One taste of Barroche’s “Signature” will instantly insert this world-class producer into your fine wine rotation.
Patriarch Alexandre Barrot is credited with a 1703 land purchase that now comprises today’s Domaine La Barroche, but it wasn’t until the late-1800s when Eugène Gabriel Barrot studied and subsequently hand-selected pieces of land for vine planting. Some of these vines, which were planted at the turn of the 20th century, are still thriving—small portions even make it into their “Signature” bottling. Throughout the 1900s, their wine was sold off in bulk, but Julien’s arrival in 2002 set a new precedent: Today, all 36 estate-owned acres are farmed organically and cellar work has been tailored to complement the idiosyncrasies of each grape variety. No longer are the days of bulk wine; La Barroche is now producing some of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s richest and purest reds.
Here in the Southern Rhône, the expansive valley floor is planted mostly to Grenache, though the diverse soil composition allows for a vast amount of terroir variation. As a result, the region is home to more than 13 different grape varieties, but Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre are usually the dominating varieties in these wines. Grenache is responsible for delivering the richness and fruit we all associate with this region, and La Barroche focuses heavily on this grape. “Signature” is a Grenache-heavy blend from the aforementioned ancient vine terroirs, all of which are tended to with incredible attention to detail: from bud pruning, green harvesting, and leaf thinning, to the handpicking and two rounds of grape sorting, Julien carefully crafts this wine with mindful vineyard and winemaking practices—making it one of the most enjoyable wines in its class. Each variety is gravity fed into separate cement tanks and cold soaked for up to five weeks before indigenous yeasts trigger fermentation. Depending on the grape, various vessels are used: old foudres for Grenache; 1-3 year old barrels for Mourvèdre and Syrah; and stainless steel for Cinsault. After 18 months of aging, the wine is blended together and bottled unfiltered. Everything is transferred via gravity.
The 2014 Signature shows a dark, saturated ruby, almost crimson core with purple and magenta hues on the rim. If the color doesn’t draw your attention, the powerful aromatics certainly will: notes of luscious, ripe black cherries, kirsch, black plum, and sweet licorice are at the fore, followed by herbes de Provence, garrigue, pepper, and violets. These beautifully fresh scents take me right into a French countryside garden. The palate strikes a beautiful balance between powerful fruit, viscous texture, and earthy minerality and finishes with ultra-silky tannins. Earth and crushed rock minerality also provides desirable contrast against the plush wildberry fruits and dried black cherries. I trust you’ll find yourself falling in love with this wine's Old World charm joined by its naturally fruit-forward nature. These aromas and flavors, combined with the silkiness of this full-bodied Châteauneuf-du-Pape, are exactly what I would expect from the best Rhône blends. Service for this wine is ideal at cellar temperature and will show best in a Bordeaux stem. Drink now with a 60 minute decant or track its evolution over the next decade. Wait for the temperatures to drop and pair with a hearty Moroccan lamb stew. Cheers!
