PURE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE ROUGE 2024

DOMAINE LA BARROCHE PURE CHÂTEAUNEUF-DU-PAPE ROUGE 2024

Style Summary

One of the rarest and most distinctive expressions of Grenache in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Pure is Domaine La Barroche's tribute to the appellation's noble red grape. Produced in tiny quantities from a remarkable single parcel of century-old vines planted on pure sandy soils, it is a Châteauneuf defined not by weight or extraction, but by perfume, purity, finesse and extraordinary texture.

Region: Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Southern Rhône, France
Appellation: Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC
Grape: Predominantly Grenache – approximately 97%, with 3% other traditional varieties
Style: Full-bodied, perfumed and exceptionally elegant Southern Rhône red
Vineyard: Single parcel of century-old vines on sandy soils at the junction of Grand Pierre, Rayas and Pointu
Ageing: Traditionally matured for approximately 18 months in old oak foudres and bottled unfiltered.

Tasting Profile

Nose:
Beautifully aromatic, with layers of wild raspberry, ripe cherry and strawberry joined by violet, rose, liquorice, pepper and delicate Provençal herbs. The old-vine Grenache brings remarkable perfume and complexity rather than simple richness.

Palate:
Silky and concentrated, with succulent red berries, cherry and raspberry wrapped around subtle spice, liquorice and mineral notes. Despite its intensity, Pure maintains impressive freshness and precision, allowing the fruit to feel lifted rather than heavy.

Structure:
Full-bodied yet remarkably graceful, with velvety tannins, vibrant acidity and exceptional purity. The sandy soils and century-old vines give Pure a distinctly fine-boned character that can feel almost Burgundian in its combination of perfume, texture and freshness—a quality critics have repeatedly highlighted in previous vintages.

Finish:
Exceptionally long and refined, with lingering red fruit, floral notes, liquorice, pepper and fine mineral spice.

Summary

Pure is the jewel of Domaine La Barroche's red-wine collection.

The wine originates from an extraordinary parcel of vines around 100 years old, planted in sandy soils where the Grand Pierre, Rayas and Pointu sectors meet. The vineyard is predominantly Grenache, with a small proportion of other traditional varieties interplanted among the old vines.

Winemaking is deliberately gentle. Fermentation takes place in tulip-shaped concrete vats, maceration extends beyond four weeks with soft extraction, and maturation takes place in old foudres before the wine is bottled without filtration.

The result is an extraordinary interpretation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape: power without heaviness, concentration without excess, and old-vine Grenache expressed with remarkable perfume and finesse.

Vintage Notes

The 2024 Pure continues Domaine La Barroche's philosophy of allowing its exceptional old-vine Grenache and sandy terroir to take centre stage. The vintage has already been reviewed as part of Jeb Dunnuck's Southern Rhône 2023/2024 coverage, although the detailed tasting note and rating remain subscriber-only.

Rather than overstate vintage-specific characteristics before broader reviews and the domaine's final 2024 technical information are published, the defining expectation is the house signature: perfumed Grenache, fine tannins, vibrant freshness and remarkable purity of fruit.

Drinking Window

2027–2042

Pure has the concentration and old-vine structure to develop beautifully in bottle. Those seeking its youthful floral perfume and vibrant Grenache fruit can approach it earlier with at least one hour of decanting, while extended cellaring should reveal increasingly complex notes of dried flowers, kirsch, liquorice, leather, herbs and spice.

Food Pairing

Exceptional with roasted rack of lamb with rosemary, côte de boeuf, duck breast, slow-braised beef, venison, Provençal lamb, wild mushroom dishes and aged hard cheeses.

Its unusually elegant expression of Grenache also makes Pure particularly successful with refined dishes where an overly powerful Châteauneuf-du-Pape might dominate—herb-crusted lamb, roasted pigeon or duck with cherry jus would be superb.