Notes from Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant:
"Didier Barral represents the thirteenth generation to grow grapes in the tiny hamlet of Lenthéric, within the confines of the Faugères appellation deep in the heart of the Languedoc. While his forebears made a living off of cultivating the vine, Didier took the family business to the next level when he began estate-bottling and commercializing his wines on a larger scale in 1993. Named for Didier's grandfather, Domaine Leon Barral is a beacon of revolutionary winegrowing: shortly after founding the domaine, Didier decided that biodynamic practices were the best choice for farming his thirty hectares of vineyards. He has pioneered numerous innovative agronomic techniques with the goal of establishing his vineyards as a self-sustaining ecosystem. This Renaissance man, naturalist, and biodynamic maven commands tremendous respect among his peers for his visionary approach to topics like soil management, pest control, and drought mitigation in his vineyards."
Cuvee notes:
A blend of 80% Mourvedre and 20% Syrah from 15-30 year old vines grown in schist-based soil. Maceration takes place for 3-4 weeks with manual punchdowns in concrete vats. Pressing is done by hand in an old, wooden, vertical basket press, and the resulting wine is then aged in barrel (10% new) for 24-36 months. The Syrah for this cuvee comes from a North-facing parcel.