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Domaine de Baronarques: inside the Rothschild’s Languedoc estate

James Lawther MW profiles the Languedoc estate owned by the Château Mouton branch of the Rothschild family and rates a dozen recent and older vintages.

Domaine de Baronarques in the Limoux region of the Languedoc is owned by the Mouton branch of the Rothschild family.

An uncharacteristic purchase given their penchant for Cabernet Sauvignon, the 110-hectare estate, previously known as Domaine de Lambert, was acquired by Baroness Philippine de Rothschild and her children in 1998 and renamed Baron’Arques (Baronarques from 2015).


Scroll down to see tasting notes and scores for James Lawther’s top 12 Domaine de Baronarques wines


It was, in effect, an impulse buy, the Baroness enchanted by this out-of-the-way area of the Aude valley in the shadow of the Pyrenees. But there was also a serious goal, to make a great red wine in the Languedoc.

Twenty-odd years on and after much replanting and investment, the Rothschilds are nearing their objective. Since the first vintage in 2003, Domaine de Baronarques has gained in depth and precision and more recently in quality of tannin – the 2018 I tasted at the estate was the most complete vintage yet.


James Lawther’s top Domaine de Baronarques wines


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