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Walls: A Côte-Rôtie with a Burgundian flourish

In a region that will continue to suffer from rising alcohol levels as a result of a warming climate, one winemaker is adjusting both viticultural and winemaking practices to bring them down, with startling results, ‘somewhere between Burgundy’s Morey-St-Denis and Côte-Rôtie,’ says Matt Walls.

Tall and slim, with bright, expressive eyes, Julien Barge has something of the mad scientist about him. His family has lived in the same street in Ampuis for 200 years, but the impression of permanence this offers is illusory. This is a Côte-Rôtie estate in constant evolution.

Julien took over from his father Gilles in 2019, and immediately made significant modifications to the way the estate worked. After converting the estate to organic viticulture in 2018 – still relatively uncommon in Côte-Rôtie – Julien decided to address the rising alcohol levels brought on by a warming climate.


Scroll down for tasting notes and scores for 15 Domaine Barge wines



Domaine Barge wines to try

Wines are listed by vintage youngest to oldest


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