Domaine La Barroche "Liberty" Rouge 2022
(Southern Rhone, France) - [JD 91-93] [JS 92] [VM 90] [WS 90]

About the Winery:
Dating back to Alexander Barrot’s aquisition of the land in the 17th century, Christian Barrot inherited his family’s 5 ha (3 acres) estate in 1972 and has since grown it to 15 ha (30 acres) spread throughout the northern region of Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC. From the start, Christian knew the value of his terroir and focused on selling his wine in bulk to prestigious wine merchants in the northern Côtes du Rhône.

In the early 2000s, Christian’s children, Laetitia and Julien, joined the family business and made the decision to estate bottle their own wine. Today, Laetitia handles the marketing and sales, while Julien, who received degrees in enology and business, is the winemaker. Julien’s experience working in other wine regions including Côtes du Rhône, Bordeaux, Languedoc and Australia contributes unique insights to his family’s estate.

“We put our heart and soul into winemaking and are deeply-rooted in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. We are proud of our heritage, down-to-earth, and hardworking, and aim to offer you the best possible wine, while continually striving for excellence.” - Julien and Laetatia Barrot

About the Wine:
The grapes for Liberty by La Barroche take their roots in the southernmost part of the Rhône valley, next to Châteauneuf de Gadagne and similar to the Crau plateau in Châteauneuf du Pape. The 50-year-old vines grow on Plio-Quaternary terraces covered with river stones, at an altitude of 125 metres, on sun-drenched hillsides, watered by tributaries of the Rhone and windswept by the Mistral. These old vines are warmed by the thick carpet of large river stones and draw all their nourishment from a mixture of sand and red and blue clay, which keeps them cool, even during the hottest seasons. Older generations tell how the mysterious upwelling Fontaine de Vaucluse continues to flow underground across the plateau.

The gravity-system cellar was built in 1930. Wine-making in underground concrete vats. Destemming of underripe stalks. The wine stays on the skins for over 4 weeks. Gentle extractions. Aging in old oak casks and 600 liter barrels for approximately 18 months. The wine is not filtered before bottling. 

Liberty by La Barroche is a full-bodied wine with good structure, character and tight tannins. Its aromas are reminiscent of juicy, black raspberries, violets, and peppery herbs. It is mellow, yet has good acidity and elegant minerality. Liberty by La Barroche is a gastronomic wine with an ageing potential of several decades.

Blend: Old vine Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Carignan and Grenache, trained in goblet style (an almost-artistic approach today) are on average 65 years’ old.

Ratings & Reviews

91-93 Points - Jeb Dunnuck:
"Tasted from multiple blends, the 2022 Vin De France Liberty has a medium to full-bodied, pure, incredibly polished style in its red, blue, and black fruits as well as peppery, violet, and tropical flower-like aromas and flavors. It's balanced, has a terrific sense of freshness, and a great finish." (Nov 2023)

92 Points - James Suckling:
"A solid, focused and flavorful red with dark plum, blackberry, cedar and baking spice aromas. Full-bodied with plush tannins. Fleshy and full of verve, with a flavorful, compact and driven finish. Drink from 2027." (Apr 2025)

90 Points - Vinous Media:
Bottled in May 2024, the 2022 Vin de France Liberty is a medium- to full-bodied red that elegantly frames ripe strawberry, raspberry, black cherry, licorice and fresh violets in its inviting aromatic profile. Round and seamlessly concentrated, the savory 2022 has developed nicely since I tasted it from barrel earlier this year. This can be enjoyed right out of the gate." - Nicolas Greinacher (Nov 2024)

90 Points - Wine Spectator:
"Offers a fresh, unadorned stream of wild blackberry and currant, with a pronounced beam of chalky mineral notes giving this shape and focus. Sandalwood smoke graces the dry finish, which shows real precision and hints at graphite-edged power, framed by firming tannins. Grenache, Cinsault, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Carignan. Drink now through 2030. 1,250 cases made, 200 cases imported." - KB (Jul 2025)