Our vineyard
You cannot make a great wine without a great terroir

A family-owned estate with fewer than 15 hectares of vines, Domaine La Barroche nevertheless features a variety of terroirs in the northern and north-eastern part of the appellation, reflecting the best in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.
The variety of soils, diverse grape varieties, and hundred year old vines make Domaine la Barroche stand out.

The grape-varieties

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is famous for its complex blend of grape varieties: 13 different ones! However, Grenache remains the most important, the soloist that provides focus to the entire symphony.

Most of the Grenache vines were planted in the early 19th century and have been lovingly tended generation after generation. These vines are thus over a hundred years old and have produced several legendary vintages.

Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Clairette Blanche, and Vaccarèse are the main grape varieties grown on the estate. However, if you look carefully, you will also see a few old, forgotten varieties here and there among the oldest vines – mostly Terret Noir and Clairette Rose.

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The terroir

The soil at Domaine La Barroche is atypical, since nearly 80% of all plots have sandy topsoil and limestone much deeper down. As for the soil in the remaining part of the vineyard, this consists of red clay, river stones, and red sandstone whose colour is due to iron concretions.

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is divided into a number of districts such as Le Pointu, Le Pialon, Le Tresquoi, Rayas, Palestor, etc. These divisions are more due to historical reasons than to similar terroir.

At Domaine La Barroche, no vineyard plot is really typical of the district where it is located. In Les Terres Blanches, for instance, the Grenache vines grow on a sandy slope, whereas most of the neighbouring vineyards have river stones. Likewise, the vines at Les Cabrières grow in clay soil, whereas the surrounding terroir mostly features river stones. Grand Pierre, a mythical plot located on the Rayas slope, has sandy soil typical of the Domaine, combined with red Comtat sandstone.

All these different terroirs constitute a huge advantage for La Barroche. They allow the various grape varieties to express themselves differently, and give depth and subtlety to the wine. Producing complex, homogeneous wines reflecting the unique identity of each plot, the Domaine is truly representative of its appellation.

The wines are fresh, elegant, silky, floral, opulent and well-balanced.

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