Leon Stolarski Fine Wines Gilles Barge

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Online Wine Shop > Wines by grower - alphabetical > Gilles Barge - Côte-Rôtie

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Gilles Barge

The Barge family has been making wine since 1860, though bottling of the estate wines didn’t commence until 1929. And, whilst Gilles took over the winemaking duties from his father Pierre in 1978, the estate was only re-named Domaine Gilles Barge 1994. The total area under vine is now 6.5 hectares, and Gilles Barge has some of the very best sites, including plots on Côte Brune, Côte Blonde, Lancemont (above the Côte Blonde) and the very steep Le Combard vineyard. The grapes are partly de-stemmed and vinified for 3 weeks in stainless steel vats. Rather than employing the more traditional methods of 'pigeage' (punching-down the cap) or 'remontage' (pumping the juice over the cap), which he says stirs the wine up too much, Barge prefers to give the grapes a gentler treatment, by way of immersing the cap in the wine by way of wooden planks. He says this gives the wines a more refined perfume and texture. After fermentation, the wines are aged for between 18 and 24 months in 550 litre oak demi-muids. A small percentage of the demi-muids are replaced each year, which ensures that the oak influence is fairly minimal and doesn't get in the way of the fruit. This wines are bottled without filtration. We hope to feature more vintages of Gilles Barge's wines in the future (and perhaps even a couple of older vintages) but, for now, we are offering the fabulous Cuvée du Plessy 2006 - Côte-Rôtie at its most traditional and sublime.

Gilles Barge Cuvée du Plessy 2006 Côte-Rôtie
Gilles Barge Cote-Rotie 2006 table

Vintage	2006
Region	Ampuis, Côte-Rôtie - 25km south of Lyon
Colour/Style	Dry red - medium/full bodied, aged in oak barrels.
Grapes	95% Syrah, 5% Viognier
Alcohol (a.b.v)	12.5%
Food	Roasted or grilled red meats, duck, game
Next day	Still good
Drink	Can be drunk now, but will peak in 7 to 10 years
A dark purple core, semi-opaque, with a narrow crimson rim. When first opened, it is quite reticent on the nose, but begins to open up with exposure to the air, with notes of bramble, blackcurrant and perhaps raspberry and orange peel, mingled with cinnamon and clove, cedar, leather and tobacco. With a little coaxing, those classic Côte-Rôtie notes of lilies and smoke begin to peep through. The palate also opens up nicely after a few minutes and, whilst the tannins are a little young, they are ripe and spicy and there is a wonderful core of red and black fruits and spice just waiting to burst through. This isn't one of those rich, modern wines that promise much without actually delivering - this is traditional Côte-Rôtie, which demands contemplation. Tightly structured, pure and focused, with great balance and mouth-watering acidity, it has all of the ingredients necessary to evolve into a real beauty of a wine. Whilst it can be drunk now with pleasure, it is only just beginning to hint at its potential.

Price: £28.50 (Including: VAT at 20%)

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Minimum order value, delivery charges, times and restrictions

We deliver only to UK and Northern Ireland addresses. The minimum order value is £75 (plus the delivery charge). You may of course choose a mix of any wines in our range. Orders between £75 and £200: delivery charge is £7.50. Orders over £200: delivery is free! (If your order is over £200, please remember to change the delivery charge in checkout to £0.00). Please note: Delivery to non-mainland addresses (Scottish Highlands and Islands, Northern Ireland, Isle of Man, Isle of Wight, etc.) is usually possible, but may not be on a next-working-day basis. It is also more expensive than delivery to mainland addresses, so will be charged at cost (for orders under £200) but with a small discount for orders over £200 - please call us for a quote.

Warning - you must be aged 18 or over

It is an offence to purchase or attempt to purchase alcohol if you are under the age of 18. (Section 149 Licensing Act 2003).We reserve the right to seek proof of age. Leon Stolarski says "drink less, but drink better!" Please consume alcohol in moderation.