Thick, unctuous and the epitome of hedonism, the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape is easily the most decadent and concentrated Pure produced to date. Possessing tons of sweet kirsch and darker fruits, roasted meats, lavender and truffle, it's massive and backward on the palate, with a full, stacked mid-palate and an almost overflowing amount of fruit that somehow stays lively, weightless and fresh. I found the '05 and '10 to have a tad more vibrancy at this tasting, but certainly, this is one of the most profound Grenaches I've tasted. A word of warning, this cuvee has known Issues of having some bottles referment, so proceed with caution.

Assuming one can find any of the 500 or so cases that are made, the wine “to die for” is the 2007 Chateauneuf du Pape Pure. I have a tendency to underrate this wine, as both the 2005, which I find pure perfection, and the nearly equal-in-quality 2006, both put on weight and complexity after a year or two in the bottle, but there is not a whole lot of room to improve in 2007. Coming from the very sandy soils of the lieu-dit in Chateauneuf du Pape known as Grand Pierre, this is 100% Grenache from vines that are about 110 years of age! Aged both in foudre and tank prior to being bottled unfiltered, in its three versions to date, it is undeniably one of the greatest expressions of pure Grenache in the world. An awesome wine with an extraordinary nose of melted licorice, spring flowers, black cherries, and black currants, the wine hits the palate with a full-bodied, thunderous impact but never, ever becomes heavy or ponderous. It is an ethereal, super-concentrated wine of great elegance, precision, and freshness, but with unbelievable concentration and length.Julian Barrot would say he has had very little to do with it, and that it is all his magical terroir, which sits just to the east of the great vineyard of Rayas. How long will it last? Certainly 100% Grenache cuvees tend to age faster than those with some Mourvedre or Syrah in the blend, but I would think, assuming anyone of human origin can actually resist this wine, it should evolve for at least 15 or more years. Domaine La Barroche in many ways typifies what has happened in Chateauneuf du Pape over the last decade. Until 2003, the Barrot family (who can trace their origins back to the 1600s in the village) sold all of their wine in bulk to negociants. But then young son Julian was given responsibility and, in a very short period, a succession of brilliant wines has emerged, starting with the 2004 and building on that success with the 2005s, 2006s, and 2007s. This is not a small estate, totaling just under 32 acres, and at present there is the potential for four very different styles of Chateauneuf du Pape to be produced. In 2008 they only produced two cuvees.Importers: The Sorting Table, LLC, Napa, CA; tel. (415) 491-4724