TN: 2014 Domaine Léon Barral Faugères Jadis

I can’t say I really know Languedoc, especially when we get to the various appellations. I would not even know where to start but with acclaimed producers so here we go with one that seems to be well respected. Quick to the point, this is love at first sight, really. I am a sucker for “controlled volatility” and this wine nails that aspect. I am usually one to complain about alcohol showing in wines but here I think it fits the style really well and despite being a rough and rugged wine of certain size it all feels beautifully balanced to me.

I will definitely try other wines from this producer and other vintages of this particular bottling but if someone here can recommend other Languedoc wines of the same ilk I am all ears.

  • 2014 Domaine Léon Barral Faugères Jadis - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Faugères (28.5.2020)
    The nose is captivating as hell. First you notice the volatile/animalistic edge but once past that you start concentrating on other things like the ripe raspberry fruit, eucalyptus and garrigue. The nose is a bit heady but simply fascinating and full of character. On the palate the wine is rich and bold and markedly savory with big acidity and broad, strongly gripping tannins. It is a true southern wine with garrigue notes written all over it and packing a lot of power. There is plenty of beautiful fruit but this is not a fruit forward wine at all. I’m truly impressed by the structure and composure, it comes off as a significant wine, not to be taken lightly. It is somewhat tighter and sturdier than my other favorite Château Simone but otherwise there are a lot of similarities between them. At this point it seems quite young still, but by no means unapproachable.

Posted from CellarTracker

I love Barral’s wines, but you have to be able to tolerate a certain wildness and occasionally a bit of brett. The Jadis is usually my favorite bottling, but the regular is also delicious, and often a bit more approachable young. The Valiniere (roughly 80% Mourvedre) is deeper, wilder, and more structured, but priced higher.

For your amusement, especially Marshall with his feral comment, is my last note on these interesting wines…

great note as always, many thanks. Sounds exciting, fun.

Thanks, Robert. I still have one bottle of the regular 2005 left and two Jadis from the same vintage. Might have to dig one out and stand it up for a while, as these wines often have a lot of sediment, too. I was lucky enough to visit a few times on the KL buying trip, and Didier Barral is about as natural a winemaker as there is. He also makes his own charcuterie from wild boar, which are delicious.

I’ve very much enjoyed Barral’s wines, love their rustic, untameable character. IMO, this corner of Languedoc has plenty of spots worth exploring, especially appelations with a bit of altitude to bring some needed freshness to the wines. I’m a fan of Faugeres, i really like the schist terroir, its a few hundred metres elevation above the Beziers plane below and has a wild, Cevennes quality about it as a place. I was pretty blown away by a Clos Fantine 2015 drank 2 years ago, heres my note from CT:

  • 2015 Clos Fantine Faugères - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Faugères (31/05/2018)
    Some spritz on opening, this needs lots of air. Crazy wine! Such an intense nose, with sweet blackberries, brown sugar, olive, licorice, just think deep and intense and it’s there! Full on palate, with inky tannins, touch of a lactic note, sweet fruited in the mid-palate and layers of drying, rustic, mouth puckering structure on the, salty, slatey finish. This is no shrinking violet, a wine of character and wildness, like trying to drink a f***ing tiger!

Posted from CellarTracker

Honestly this was a crazy wine, but i loved it! I went back and bought a few more and am really curious to see how they have/will hold up.

In the region, i also like wines from the village of Montpeyroux (appelation Coteaux de Languedoc, maybe?), and very much like Domaine d’Aupilhac. More refined expression of Languedoc, higher proportions of Syrah, ageworthy and worth checking out. A 2009 drank last year was stellar (note below). Pic Saint Loup is always a solid bet to me too and i’ve really enjoyed the wines of Mas des Chimeres in the Terraces de Larzac appelation. A beautiful region with lots to explore.

  • 2009 Domaine d’Aupilhac Coteaux du Languedoc La Boda - France, Languedoc Roussillon, Languedoc, Coteaux du Languedoc (14/07/2019)
    Dark core, with vibrant ruby disk. Enticing, complex nose, meaty and animale on opening, then red fruits, crushed strawberry, leather, sweet musk and cinnamon. Layered, complex and lifted, wonderful. Sweet fruited palate, grainy tannin, dark chocolate and loads of peppery spice on the long finish, very, very good stuff indeed, best bottle so far.
    Posted from CellarTracker

Yes, d’Aupilhac is another excellent producer. Had the last of my 2004s last October and it was still in prime shape, if a little young. I haven’t had either in a while, but the Chabanon and L’Aigueliere wines used to be nice, too. I’m also a big fan of Daumas Gassac, although that’s Cab-based and not as wild as the other wines.

Thanks! One of my go-to merchants seems to be selling the 2015 Valinière at a small discount right now, I guess I need to check that one out.

Even if we are talking about different wines I do recognize a lot of the same things in your note that I found in the Jadis. Also not surprised if our palates align somewhat with this producer… Wow, I really need to try that bottling. Cheers for the great note champagne.gif

Thanks a lot, very interesting stuff. The Clos Fantine note certainly got me excited [snort.gif] Will definitely try to find that and something from Aupilhac. I’ve only tried the entry level Nuit Grave from Mas des Chimères and it was a bit too simple and fruity but then again totally solid for the price. The wines have a pretty good availability so I guess I’ll try the Caminarèm next.

I’ve had some vintages of Mas de Daumas Gassac and all have been quite nice but clearly the style is totally different from the Jadis as you say. I have a bottle of the 2010 in the cellar and have been wondering whether it might be peaking soon (probably not as most of the time I seem to open everything too early). Never had any from the others mentioned but have a 1995 L’Aiguelière Montpeyroux Côte Dorée waiting to be drunk. I guess that would be a good way to continue my Languedoc exploration.

My experience is that unfortunately, bretts happen way more than occasionally. I’ve poured more bottles down the drain than I’ve drunk, so I just stopped buying. Last one was a Valinières 2008 which was just undrinkable.
Which is a shame because when they’re on, Barral wines are among the best in Languedoc imo. But it makes me cringe when I see a case and it’s written “Do not store above 16°C”.

I’ve had a Clos Fantine 2018 about 2 weeks ago and it had a lot of bretts as well.

Alain

Daumas Gassac normally ages very well. I haven’t tried the '10, but they usually require some time in the cellar. I just had the 1993 a few weeks back and it was wonderful, but still on the upswing. I’d pop that '95 Doree and see how it is. My guess is that it’s going to be really nice now.

Alain, I’m not as sensitive to brett as some others are, so I’m probably not the best barometer. However, one of the Fantines I tried had WAY too much brett for me, so I do have a limit.

Thanks, that’s pretty much what I had thought, although I didn’t know that Mas de Daumas Gassac is that long-lived!

Oh yeah. I’ve had most vintages from 1979-2005 and none of them have been over the hill. It ages like good Bordeaux.

I love Leon Barral’s wines. The reds are all very good, but if you get a chance to try one of his whites with a bit of age you won’t be disappointed either. It’s worth looking up how he makes them, mostly with ancient Terret Blanc and Gris.

As to Faugeres in general, there are a whole load of superb producers, with anything from modern to very traditional styles. To begin with, I’d say Alquier, Chateau Grezan, Vallambelle, Haut Fabregues, Haut Lignier, and Trinités are worth a look. Then there’s of course Cèbene, which is probably up there with Barral in quality, though the style is very different.

Ah…Alquier. That’s an old name that used to be brought to the US by Kermit, but I haven’t seen it here in years. Does anyone import this into the US? I only see three listing on WineSearcher, all 2011 and 2012.

Doesn’t look like it. In fact, I don’t think they had one in the UK either, until Millesima brought it in a few years ago. I go to Faugeres every year, so have just bought from the domaine.

Thank you for this info on Barral’s whites Eric. I have a 2004 blanc I’ve been sitting on which throws tons of fine sediment. Is this past its prime? Or can these age? Perhaps I should just open but in this period of Covid, I’d rather share with other like-minded wine geeks. Seems to me to be a quasi–orange kine wine?

My last two ‘16 Faugeres weren’t good. A combo of persistent spritz and I think it was Brett. I’ll have to dig out the third.

Wow, that’s a long list of new names for me to get to know. I have only seen Barral’s reds thus far but the whites sound cool as well. Thanks!

Alrighty, better to forget about the 10 for a while then, I suppose [cheers.gif]