2018 Léon Barral Faugères Valinière

VARIETAL: Mourvèdre, Syrah
REGION: Languedoc, FR
VITICULTURE: Organic/Biodynamic
WINEMAKER: Didier Barral

Mourvèdre is the grape that Didier adores and his “Valinière”, named after a small stream, and made from 80% Mourvèdre and 20% Syrah, has deep purple colour and a glorious nose that includes dark fruits, warm leather, dark chocolate, fine floral notes, black olives and all the spices of the orient. The mouth follows the nose, conveying a suppleness, where density and power are controlled and shows an acidity that completes the wine, gives it equilibrium, finesse, length in the mouth as well as a great capacity to age. Fabulous wine and indeed one of the best red wines in all France; noted critic Jacqueline Frederich calling it the 'Chambertin of the South'

Barral is the ultimate biodynamic farmer. He allows his cows and sheep to graze amongst his old bush-vines during the winter months as this provides them with the most natural form of fertiliser! In the winery, everything is natural, from the wild yeasts which ferment his grapes to the absence of sulphur or filtration. The resulting wines are pure, unadulterated expressions of the rugged, scrub-covered hills of this part of Mediterranean France and the perfect cold weather reds.