Domaine La Barroche - Liberty Vin De France 2018

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Domaine La Barroche Description

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. decantolo

Jeb Dunnuck: 90-92 Points

Coming from very old vines and similar rocky, pebbly soils as La Crau in Châteauneuf Du Pape, the 2018 Vin de France Liberty is a beautiful, elegant wine that shows the soft, forward style of the vintage. Blackberries, violets, pepper, and some earthy meatiness all emerge from this medium-bodied, concentrated and elegant red. It's beautifully balanced and certainly competes with plenty of Châteauneuf Du Pape. Give it a year or two. The blend is 55% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, and the rest Cinsault and Carignan that was all destemmed. The 2017s from this terrific estate are slightly less impressive than I’d hope after tasting them from barrel last year. The wines are certainly pure and elegant, with a distinct Burgundian vibe (which is even more apparent in the 2018s) yet don’t come close to matching prior vintages in depth and richness. Nevertheless, these wines have a habit of putting on weight in bottle so here’s hoping for the best. It’s also worth pointing out that the Signature Cuvée is now being releases under the name Cuvée Julien Barrot.