Winemaker Notes
Les Hauts de Barville Chateauneuf-du-Pape offers ripe mulberry and strawberry notes abound from nose to finish, accented by hints of sweet spice and dried Mediterranean herbs. While rich and plush in body, it has brisk, integrated acidity and finely edged tannins that lend elegant structure.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Very much in the style of the vintage, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Hauts De Barville is based on 70% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 12% Mourvèdre, 1% Cinsault, and a 2% mix of varieties that was raised mostly in foudre but also in new and used barrels and concrete tank. It has a charming, medium-bodied, nicely textured profile as well as ample sweet red fruits, some spicy, peppery, garrigue-like nuances, soft tannins, and outstanding length. Beautifully done and well worth seeking out, like most 2023s, it’s going to offer pleasure right out of the gate.
Range: 90-92 -
Wine Enthusiast
Fresh strawberry, rhubarb, red licorice, white rose, and white pepper combine to create a lively, fruity nose. The palate is silky and layered, supported by fine tannins and refreshing acidity. Notes of white pepper and stony minerality add depth and complexity, rounding out the expression. This wine is approachable now.
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Wine Spectator
A winey, stylish version, with cassis, steeped cherry, mulberry and lavender notes, all edged in warm iron. Full yet streamlined, this is buoyed by fine acidity for precision on the finish, which is graced with apple wood smoke. Grenache and Syrah.
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James Suckling
A fruity, firm and chalky Chateauneuf-du-Pape with currants, sweet berries and sweet spices on the nose. Full-bodied with chewy tannins. Dense and compact, with dark fruit character and a similar finish. Drink or hold.
Located in Châteauneuf-du-Pape since 1931, the Brotte family own 3 exceptional estates in the Southern Rhone Valley. Here, Grenache is king and flourishes with its expressive fruit and is masterfully blended with Syrah and Mourvedre to add freshness and structure. Focused on protecting the environment, all Brotte Family estates are certified Sustainable by the Terra Vitis organization. As well as estate-grown wines, Maison Brotte collaborates with other growers to produce top quality wines from other appellations, including Condrieu, Côte Rôtie, Gigondas and Côtes de Provence. Their entire portfolio is consistently highly rated by the industries top publications and always reliable.
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.