Léon Barral Faugères Jadis 2020

Didier Barral is a 13th-generation farmer who grows grapes in Lenthéric, a small village inside Faugères, Languedoc. He started bottling his own wine at the domaine in 1993, and soon after converted to biodynamics. He is known more as a "farmer of the soil" than a "winemaker," releasing cows and horses into the vineyards and making his own compost. The approximately 30 hectares of vineyards include old vines up to 90 years old.

'Jadis' means 'once upon a time,' and contains 50% Carignan, 30% Syrah, and 20% Grenache from schist slopes. All harvesting is done by hand, and the grapes are macerated for 3-4 weeks with manual pigeage in concrete tanks filled by gravity, using natural yeasts, then gently pressed with an old wooden vertical press. Afterwards, the wine is aged in barrels for 24-26 months (10% new oak), without any racking, fining, or filtration.

The glass is filled with a deep, almost opaque purple color that extends to the rim. On the nose, ripe plums and black cherries appear first, followed by tapenade, bay leaf, roasted meat, leather, graphite, and tobacco leaf, with spices opening up over time. The palate is full-bodied but not heavy, with coarse-grained yet ripe tannins and a taut, cool acidity. The finish lingers with wild herbs, wet earth, and the bitterness of dark chocolate. It's good now, but even more promising in 5-10 years.