Product Description
HIGHLY ANTICIPATED 2015 CHATEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE VINTAGE
“Julien Barrot’s family has farmed in the region for generations and had been selling to negociants – but more recently, they began to produce the wines themselves. I personally visited the Domaine a couple of years ago, walked the vineyards, and tasted the lineup with Julien – it really opened up my eyes to how phenomenal his wines are… he is an absolute rock star! The 2015 ‘Signature’ Châteauneuf du Pape has arrived in store; it is drinking superbly now, and will continue to do so for many years.” – Jim Knight, The Wine House (1/14/18)
JEB DUNNUCK ON THE 2015 SOUTHERN RHONE VINTAGE
This is certainly a very, very good vintage for the entire Southern Rhône Valley. The vintage started with a normal spring and an even crop set, before turning hot and dry through the end of August. Temperatures routinely exceeded 95 degrees Fahrenheit, and from April through September, the region received more sunshine than in either 2010 or 2011, which were both very sunny years. However, storms late in August, and again in September, resulted in a later, lengthy harvest.
The reds are full-bodied and show beautiful purity of fruit, good concentration and notable, yet ripe and rounded tannin structures. Moreover, the quality is incredibly high across all of the appellations, and even across all varieties, which is uncommon. However, while the average quality is high, I found fewer truly great wines than I would expect from an exceptional vintage. Alcohol levels are slightly down over 2010 and 2007, and the wines stay fresh, focused and lively on the palate, with more finesse than overt power and richness. Most vignerons I spoke with compared 2015 to a mix of 2007 and 2010, but I find that comparison optimistic. In my mind, 2015 is closer to a beefed up 2006, with very classic, pure characters that I suspect will evolve gracefully in the cellar. In addition, this is fabulous vintage for the whites! The acidity is slightly lower than in the 2014s, but there’s additional concentration, texture and richness, and the inherent purity and freshness of the 2015 vintage is still present. While the 2000s saw an incredible climb in the quality of the reds, we’re now seeing the same qualitative growth with the whites. At the end of the day, 2015 is a beautiful vintage for Southern Rhône lovers that will be a treasure trove for the actual wine drinkers out there.
ABOUT DOMAINE LA BARROCHE
Region: Southern Rhone
Appellation: Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Producer: Domaine la Barroche
Founded: 1703
Domaine La Barroche Châteauneuf-du-Pape Signature
Blend of around 65% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, 10%-15% Syrah with the remainder being other allowed grape varieties within the appellation from vines averaging 70-years-old. Vines grow in a diversity of soils with a high proportion of sand. Rigorous bud pruning, green harvesting and leaf thinning are done in the vineyard. Grapes are hand-picked with sorting in the vineyard and again in the cellar. Vinification takes place in underground concrete vats. Fruit is partially destemmed and fermented in concrete tank. The wine stays on the skins for over 4 weeks with gentle extraction. The Grenache is aged in old oak casks. The Mourvèdre and Syrah age on lies in 600 L used barrels (1- to 3-year-old). The Cinsault ages in stainless steel tanks. The wine is aged for approximately 18 months and not filtered before bottling.
