Domaine la Barroche Liberty

Joe Czerwinski, managing editor of the prestigious Robert Parker Wine Advocate describes Domaine la Barroche as “a shining light in Châteauneuf-du-Pape”. Although this family estate has been preserving winemaking culture since the 14th century, it was with the arrival of Julien Barret in 2002 that they were encouraged to move from selling wine in bulk to bottled wine. This shift improved the quality of their wines and also gave the AOC Châteauneuf-du-pape, in the Rhône area of France, a very beautiful viticultural vision.

Under the young and capable direction of Julien Barrot and his sister Laetitia, Domaine la Barroche Liberty is made. This is a coupage of Garnacha Tinta, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault and a small amount of other red varieties from the 12.5 hectares that the family cultivates in Châteauneuf-du-pape. In these vineyards lie some of the oldest Garnacha vines in the area, vines aged over 100 years old. On the Barrot estate, viticulture is all organic. This means natural fertilisers, limited productions and handpicking and selecting the best bunches of grapes. Each variety is vinified separately to enhance its characteristics plot by plot. In the winery, vinification is slow and with little intervention. Fermentation takes place in cement tanks embedded in the soil with native yeasts and the wine spends 4 weeks on the skins with ripe grape bunches left whole. The wine is then aged in foudres for 18 months and finally bottled without refining or filtering.

Delicate and deliciously fruity, Domaine la Barroche Liberty is a brilliant blend of century-old Garnacha vines with other red varieties. An excellent example of the typical opulence of the AOC Châteauneuf-du-pape combined with the elegance and silkiness that is so characteristic of this winery’s wines.