$60.78 pre-tax for 750ml ($69.90)

$130.26 pre-tax for 1.5L ($149.80)

"Deep ruby. Heady spice-accented blackberry and cherry aromas are complicated by suave floral and spice qualities, with white pepper and licorice nuances emering with air. Seamless, broad and sweet in the mouth, offering silky black and blue fruit preserve flavors and a hint of allspice. Closes juicy and long, with slow-building tannins and lingering spiciness."

- Vinous, April 2015     92 points

2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape "Pure"

$99.91 pre-tax ($114.90)

"Glass-staining ruby. High-pitched red berry and Asian spice aromas open with air and pick up suggestions of candied flowers and smoky minerals. Stains the palate with intense, sharply delineated black raspberry and bitter cherry flavors that are lifted by a mineral element. At once vibrant and seamless, finishing with outstanding thrust, supple tannins and a whiplash of sweet red fruit."

- Vinous, April 2015     94 points

About

The story of Domaine La Barroche revolves around people, terroir and passion.  There have been generations of winegrowers from the same family in the domaine's long history. Grenache is king in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and has flowed in the family's veins since the 14th century.  The family patriarch, Alexandre, bought the first land comprising the present-day Domaine in the village de Châteauneuf-du- Pape in 1703.  It has been handed down from father to son ever since.  During the 1970s as many young people at neighbouring estates left to work in factories and abandoned their family vineyards in the middle of the wine crisis, Christian Barrot decided to take over the family estate. Christian knew the value of his terroir and what it was capable of producing and he focused on making the most of it. He sold his wine in bulk to prestigious wine merchants in the northern Côtes du Rhône.  In 2002 his children, Julien and Laetitia, took over the domaine and started bottling and selling their wines directly from the estate.  Just as Grenache is king in Châteauneuf, it is also king at this domaine.  Most of the Grenache vines at this estate 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, there are also a few old, forgotten varieties here and there among the oldest vines - mostly Terret Noir and Clairette Rose.  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 concentrations.  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.

$60.78 pre-tax ($69.90)

"Full ruby. Spice- and mineral-accented aromas of fresh red berries and candied flowers, with a hint of smokiness coming up slowly. Silky and sweet in the mouth, offering vibrant raspberry and cherry flavors and a touch of spicecake. Smooths out nicely on the finish, which features gentle tannins and an echo of floral pastilles."

- Vinous, April 2015     91 points

2012 Châteauneuf-du-Pape "Boisrenard"

$86.87 pre-tax ($99.90)

"Dark ruby. Sexy, spice-tinged dark berry and floral scents, along with suggestions of mocha, licorice and smoky minerals. Supple and sweet on the palate, offering sappy, deeply concentrated black raspberry and lavender pastille flavors sharpened by juicy acidity. Closes smooth, gently tannic and very long, leaving notes of vanilla and dark berry liqueur behind."

- Vinous, April 2015     93 points

About

Domaine de Beaurenard in Châteaneuf-du-Pape has been a family run estate for seven generations.  A notarial act dated December the 16^th 1695 mentions "Bois Renard", which over time has become "Beaurenard".  The Coulon brothers, Daniel and Frédéric, have taken over from Paul and Régine and are striving to sustain tradition.  The estate has over 32 hectares of vines in Châteauneuf-du-Pape.  Their wines are dominated by four varieties: Grenache, Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault and are supplemented by some of the other 13 permitted grape varieties.  The vines are 45 years of age on average, with some parcels used in the "Boisrenard" edging up towards 100 years old.  All of the Domaine's vines are cultivated organically and biodynamically.  The vines are thus attuned to nature, lunar and planetary cycles, and the rhythms of the cosmos.  All the grapes are 100% hand-picked at optimal maturity before undergoing a long, gentle fermentation in temperature controlled vats that are designed to extract supple tannins and achieve deep colours without over extracting harsher elements.  Following fermentation, the wines are aged for up to 18 months in a combination of oak foudres and truncated vats.  The lengthy maturation process allows the wines to clarify themselves and allows for their structure to develop.  These wines possess excellent finish and are classic examples of well structure wines from Châteauneuf-du-Pape.