Winemaker Notes
“This cuvée is the one which captures the most the essence of the estate and my winegrower philosophy. My approach to wine has taken me on a quest to reveal the best of the terroir. We have made this wine with the greatest of care, taking into account the effects of both the earth and sky on the grapes and wine. While in the vineyard, we use only organic fertilizers, harvest the fruit by hand, and meticulously select our grapes. Once in the cellar, we practice gentle extraction and long, careful ageing.” —Julien Barrot
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The base cuvée from the young, passionate (and incredibly talented) Julien Barrot, the 2018 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Julien Barrot checks as a blend of 60% Grenache, 19% Mourvèdre, and the balance a mix of other permitted varieties. Partially destemmed and brought up in a mix of foudres, demi-muids, and a small portion in stainless steel, it has a great nose of red and black raspberries, framboise, spring flowers, and peppery garrigue. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, it displays a notable sense of elegance and purity, light yet present tannins, and a great finish, all making for a terrific base cuvée that I would be happy to drink any time over the coming 10-12 years or so.
-
Vinous
Deep, bright-rimmed ruby. Spice-accented cherry and blueberry on the nose, along with baking spice, succulent herb and floral nuances. Appealingly sweet and expansive in the mouth, offering sappy red and blue fruit and spice cake flavors that deepen through the back half. Finishes long and subtly smoky, with repeating florality and even tannins lending subtle grip.
-
Wine Spectator
Cherry paste and raspberry coulis notes mix, giving this a sappy feel, with juicy tension. Red licorice, fruitcake, garrigue and sandalwood notes all meld in and extend the finish, with sneaky depth. Drink now through 2034. 300 cases imported.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Concentrated and dense, the 2018 Chateauneuf du Pape Julien Barrot delivers scents of black cherries, black olives, mocha and hints of dried spices. It's evolved quite a bit since I tasted it at the estate last year, becoming richer and more tannic than many other examples of the vintage. It shows surprising heft on the full-bodied palate and a long, velvety, chocolate-tinged finish.
-
Wilfred Wong of Wine.com
COMMENTARY: The 2018 Domaine la Barroche Châteauneuf-du-Pape Julien Barrot is authentic and firmly built. TASTING NOTES: This wine shows up with attractive aromas and flavors of ripe fruit, earth, and savory spices. Pair it with slowly-braised meats over fresh egg noodles. (Tasted: April 26, 2021, San Francisco, CA)
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Famous for its full-bodied, seductive and spicy reds with flavor and aroma characteristics reminiscent of black cherry, baked raspberry, garrigue, olive tapenade, lavender and baking spice, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leading sub-appellation of the southern Rhône River Valley. Large pebbles resembling river rocks, called "galets" in French, dominate most of the terrain. The stones hold heat and reflect it back up to the low-lying gobelet-trained vines. Though the galets are typical, they are not prominent in every vineyard. Chateau Rayas is the most obvious deviation with very sandy soil.
According to law, eighteen grape varieties are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and most wines are blends of some mix of these. For reds, Grenache is the star player with Mourvedre and Syrah coming typically second. Others used include Cinsault, Counoise and occasionally Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picquepoul Noir and Terret Noir.
Only about 6-7% of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is white wine. Blends and single-varietal bottlings are typically based on the soft and floral Grenache Blanc but Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne are grown with some significance.
The wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the relocation of the papal court to Avignon. The lore says that after moving in 1309, Pope Clément V (after whom Chateau Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan is named) ordered that vines were planted. But it was actually his successor, John XXII, who established the vineyards. The name however, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, translated as "the pope's new castle," didn’t really stick until the 19th century.