Château Barouillet shows what happens when a young grower decides to stop selling grapes for bulk blending and start bottling the truth of his land. Vincent Alexis has made this Bergerac estate one of the most exciting natural addresses in southwest France.
Backstory
Barouillet has been a family business for at least eight generations. Vincent Alexis joined his father in 2010 and launched an organic project, choosing to bottle the estate's own wines rather than sell the fruit. Conversion began with six hectares; by 2013 the entire estate was organic, and in 2020 it earned biodynamic certification.
The Region & Vineyards
The estate spreads across three sites in the Bergerac area. The cellar sits at Pomport on one of the highest plots around, near 180 meters. Twelve hectares lie at Mescoules, four kilometers away, and six hectares of Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Cabernet Sauvignon sit 15 kilometers off in Pecharmant, the top red cru of Bergerac. In all there are 14 grape varieties planted, and Vincent keeps replanting old local varieties with the goal of growing every traditional permitted grape of the region.
Winemaking
Work in vineyard and cellar follows the lunar calendar. Sulfur use is minimal; Vincent has not released a wine above about 25 milligrams per liter total in years. The aim is honest, living wine.
The Wines
About 40 percent of production is sweet, including Monbazillac, with the rest split between reds and dry whites. Cuvees include the dry white Bergecrac and Larcin, named for the estate's mascot crow. The wines run from crisp and mineral whites to deep Pecharmant reds and lush sweet bottlings.
