Download Domaine La Barroche (Julien Barrot): Chateauneuf du Pape Whilst

Domaine La Barroche (Julien Barrot): Chateauneuf du Pape
Whilst this small estate is relatively new to estate bottling (first
vintage 2003) in the list of producers of Chateauneuf, the Barrot
family that owns these 12.5 hectares of Chateauneuf-du-Pape
have been established in the village since about 1400. The
average age of the vines at La Barroche is 60 years old and one
third of the vineyards are more than 100 years old (Grenache).
Most of the vineyards of the estate are located in the north and
north-east of the appellation with just a few plots located close to
the town of Chateauneuf-du-Pape on the southern side.
Vinification here is classic with cement tanks used for
fermentation and a mixture of cement and large foudres used for
elevage of the Grenache based components and smaller oak used
for the ageing of Syrah and Mourvedre based components. In the
cellar wine is moved by gravity and done according to the lunar
calendar and weather patterns. The wines of La Barroche are
modern in the best sense, clean, pure and brilliant.
Original Acquisition Cost $25
The owners and their history:
The Domaine la Barroche belongs to Christian and Julien Barrot, whereby Julien Barrot
figures as the
cellarmaster. The
name of Barrot
appears in the
regional archives
for the first time in
the 17th century,
during the reign of
Louis XVIAt about
this time,
Alexandre Barrot
and his family
settled on a piece
of land which they
had bought. Ever
since, the same
piece of land has
been passed down
from generation to
generation, from
father to son.
Pierre Barrot, one
of Alexandre’s
sons, married Anne Mestre from one of the oldest families in Châteauneuf. Pierre and
Anne’s son, in his turn, married Thérèse Duclaux-Armenier and kept on making wine
with all the passion of his ancestors. He also bought two wine presses which he installed
in neighboring wine parcels in order to press his neighbors’ grapes as well.
Eugène-Gabriel died in 1939, and his 5 hectares of vineyards were divided among his
four sons. One of them, Marcel, had a child by the name of Christian who acquired the
Domaine la Barroche in 1972.
"Lou Destré d'Antan" "the press of Yesteryear" in memory of his grandfather. Christian Barrot sold most of
the production in bulk but bottled a small part only meant for friends and family. The last vintage with this
label was 2000.
He expanded the planting area, restructuring it completely, and was so enthused that he
dedicated all of his efforts to cultivating wine. During this period, he was still selling
nearly all of his wine production under the “Lou Destré d’Antan” label to importers in the
northern Côtes du Rhône areas. He chose this name in honor of his grandfather. In 2002,
his son Julien joined him to work on the estate. Having studied viticulture and enology
beforehand at the University of Montpellier, he was hankering to learn everything about
wine, grapevines, and terroir. After earning his diploma, he spent three years wandering
through the French and Australian wineries to watch, work, and learn, before returning to
his roots in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The 2003 vintage was the first one that was not sold in
large volumes, as his father used to do, but was bottled directly at the winery.
For the vintage 2003 only one cuvée was produced. The new name for the domain and the wine became the
Domaine la Barroche
In 2006, Julien’s father entrusted him with the entire responsibility for the vineyards and
the wine production.
Chateauneuf du Pape Signature
2011: 65% Grenache, 16% Mourvedre, 13% Syrah, 5% Cinsault and 1% other varieties. The
avera ge age of the vines are 70 years.
Grenache is aged in foudres, Syrah and Mourvedre in 1-3-years-old pièces.
Cinsault is matured in steel tank. The ageing lasts for 18 months.
Details on geography and varieties of wine:
The Domaine la Barroche owns 12.5 hectares of wine cultivating area scattered across a
number of plots. The vineyards are all located within the boundaries of the Châteauneufdu-Pape region, most of them in the northern and northeastern sections. On the average,
the vines are 60 years old. One third of them are 100 year-old Grenache grapevines. The
vineyards in the lieux-dits of Palestor and Grand Pierre were planted around 1900, and
are thus some of the oldest in all of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Each of the plots has its own
unique soil. In the northeastern part of the region, in the Grand Pierre lieu-dit right next to
Rayas, a 1.3 hectare plot is situated where the grapevines used for the rare “Pure Cuvée”
are grown. The soil there contains lots of sand without stones all the way down to deep
strata, without the usual clay characteristic of the subsoil in the lieu-dit of Grand Pierre.
The color of the surface of this plot is also different from that of its environs, making it
visible from afar. The average yield of 30 hl/ha demonstrates the health, elan, and power
with which these 110 year-old grapevines are endowed.
South of the city of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, the Domaine la Barroche owns a small, stony
plot measuring 0.5 hectares with 70 year-old Cinsault grapevines. Julien is very proud of
the unusually old age of these Cinsault grapevines, and of their special character. Respect
for the natural environment is a prime concern at the Domaine Barroche. Great emphasis
is placed on the best possible preservation of the fertility of the soil, the micro-climate,
and the lives of the insects and animals.
The grapes are harvested when they are completely ripened, and are sorted twice: in the
vineyard, and once again in the cellar. The entire harvest undergoes pre-fermentation and
cold maceration in temperature-regulated vats before alcoholic fermentation. Gentle
extraction provides for maximum fruitiness. The wine cellar built in the early 20th
century uses a gravitation system in order to let the wine flow from one vat to the next
without pumping. Work in the wine cellar is scheduled according to weather conditions
and the phases of the moon. It is suspended, for instance, when it rains, or when the
mistral is blowing. Depending on the cuvée, the wine ages in foudres, old oak barrels, or
steel or concrete vats.
Winemaking at the Domaine de la Barroche is basically conducted in a rather traditional
manner, but occasionally also includes recirculation, délestage, or pigeage. Afterwards,
the wine is aged in foudres, tanks, and small barrels. Julien invested in three new vats in
time for the 2006 vintage, in order to be able to ferment different kinds of grapes
(especially Mourvèdre) and the grapes from various parcels separately. Since then, the
Mourvèdre and the Syrah have been stored after maceration in one, two, or three year-old
Burgundy barrels. The aging process takes place on the wine lees, meaning that the wine
is not stirred during malolactic fermentation.
The Domaine la Barroche produces four diffent kinds of red Châteauneuf-du-Pape. A
Cuvée Réserve was produced in 2004 and 2005, but was already replaced in 2006 by the
“Domaine la Barroche Signature.” Julien explains, “Although the Réserve was a good
wine, it wasn’t the style I was looking for.” Signature is a mixture of 81% Grenache, 11%
Syrah, and 8% Cinsault. 60% of the Grenache grapes age in old foudres, and 40% in steel
tanks. Syrah and Cinsault age in barrels which have already been used.
The Terroir Cuvée made for the first time in 2005 comes from 15 year-old Grenache
vines with a small portion of Mourvèdre, Cinsault, and Syrah from the lieux-dits of
Cabrières and Pialon. Fermentation and maceration take place for four weeks at 28 –
32°C in concrete vats. The wine is recirculated or stirred if necessary. It ages in old
foudres in order to induce natural micro-oxidation.
The Grenache grapes come from a plot with more than 100 year-old grapevines that ripen
early on the hills in the lieu-dit of Terres Blanches; the Syrah grapes are from a plot near
Château Cabrières. Both kinds of grapes undergo pre-fermentation and cold maceration
before they are put in concrete tanks for alcoholic fermentation. Light extraction is also
performed in order to retain this cuvée’s fresh, fruity flavor. The Grenache grapes stay on
the grape skin cap for four weeks, the Syrah grapes not even for one whole week. The
mixture ages for 18 months in Burgundy barrels and concrete vats. The Fiancée was
produced for the first time in 2004 and originally stored in already used demi-muids and
small old barrels. In 2006, Julien decided to age one half of the wine in vats and the other
on the grape skin cap without stirring in small barrels. The mixture is made before
bottling. The label for the Cuvée Fiancée was designed by Carlos Pazos, an artist from
Barcelona who was decorated with the Spanish prize for plastic arts in 2004.
The grapes for the “Pure” made of 100% Grenache are partially destemmed, fermented in
a concrete tank at a maximum temperature of 31°C, and then macerated for four weeks.
The production procedure for this wine includes recirculation, délestage, and pigeage.
Malolactic fermentation takes place in steel tanks, and the wine ages for about 15 months
in foudres with a capacity of 35 hectoliters. In 2006, an unmistakable new logo with the
engraved name “Pure” was created.
Bottling is performed at the “Prestige et Tradition” facilities, a cooperative project
conducted by a number of wineries to which the Domaine Giraud and the Domaine Pierre
Usseglio belong. The Domaine Barroche starts marketing its wine three months after
bottling.
A white wine is made solely for private consumption on a small piece of land planted
mainly with Clairette. No plans are being made to market this wine commercially in the
future, although this could certainly be the case someday, in view of its potential!