2006 CdP Domaine La Barroche

Chateauneuf-du-Pape or as most of like to call it CdP, which btw is much easier to spell!  Two reason I have CdP in my cellar, one is because of all the hype of the 2007 vintage. Tho I do not have any 2007 CdP in my cellar but it did make me aware of the region even more so.  The other is/was "The Chateauneuf-du-Pape Wine Book" by Harry Karis which I saw on WLTV.  Part 1 & Part 2.  So I had to buy the book, and well it was dirt 'cheap' on amazon.com and! I had to get some stuff shipped anyways from Amazon.com so it was a win/win. You know the regular stuff you buy off amazon.com and not amazon.ca two Asbestos books for my dads company, and "The Science of Wine From Vine to Glass by Jamie Goode"

So, CdP, I am starting to see why Robert Park loves these wines, they are dark, dense, brooding type of wines, but...they are not 'oaked' most of the times anyways...During the month of February Marquis Wine Cellar here in BC was doing a Rhone Friday tasting tasted a couple of CdPs [and Rhones mmm Northern Rhone Syrah!].  For me I find that on occasion I can like these wines but they are big and brooding and  I generally do not like to drink Prunes which is what I get from Big Extracted wines.

So before I could drink the wine [Domaine La Barroche 2006] I had to do a little read up in the new book by Harry Karis, which has I think every producer in his book, and lists a lot of info. Like that they have 30acres planted for red and 1.25 for white. The Signature Which I am drinking is there "entry" level wine. 2006 which by the way is when Julien became 100% responsible of the vineyard and the wine making!


Blogging Format Tasting Notes

The Stats:
Domaine la Barroche
"Signature" their Entry Level
Blend - of 81% Grenache, 11% Syrah, 8% Cinsault
Age of Vines - 18-100+ years of age
Chateauneuf-du-Pape [lieux-dits]
Destemming - Partly
Filtration - Nope!
Aging - 18months in foudres and steel tank
Approx Production 20,000 Bottles

The Eye:
Med++ Ruby

The Nose:
Day 1
Prunes, Red Plum, Spice a sweet spice, not like anise or licourise
Day 2
A Herbaceous, Sappy, Dark Chocolate, Citrus Peel [Maybe a grapefruit?]

The Mouth:
Med Tannins, Med Acid, Med + Finish
Day 1
Good Mouth Feel/Texture, earthy, PLum, Dark chocolate/cherry mix
Day 2
Juicy Dark Fruit, Dark Chocolate, Raspberry, Sappy, Tar, Fresh Leather



Overall/Reflection: I can see where people would like this wine, I did find it good but yet at the same time a little to "big" for me.  I can see a lot of people enjoying this for sure tho
Score: 89

THE 100-POINT RATING SCALE (Robert Parker of the Wine Advocate describes this in more detail.)
• Extraordinary (96-100 points)
• Outstanding (90-95)
• Very Good to Excellent (85-89)
• Good (80-84)
• Average (75-79)
• Below average (70-74)
• Avoid (50-70)