Domaine Léon Barral : Valinière 2005

2005 Faugeres Valiniere represents Barrel’s annual essay mostly in Mourvèdre. With spirit- and liqueur-like aromatics and a palate sweetness of cherry, blackberry, and licorice dusted with cinnamon and black pepper, it coats the mouth and simply won’t quit. But unlike Jadis, it completely hides its alcohol. Not that this wine is just about sweet, viscous fruit. High-toned suggestions of herbal distillate and parsnip, a soy-like savor, and notes of wet stone and pencil lead emerge more prominently with time, promising a decade of memorably complex evolution. Didier Barral is a tireless experimenter who vigorously advocates highly original variations on biodynamics and ideals of integrated farming and viticultural sustainability, among the most conspicuous of which is his deployment of Jersey cattle and horses as both a source of fertilizer and an occasional crew in managing grassy vineyards that he proudly describes as looking “like the Pampas.” (Except that some of these breezy, forest-rimmed sites are rather steep to support that analogy!). Barral is keenly absorbed in the details of preserving plant and insect diversity in his soils as well as perfecting traditional, open-armed goblet (head-pruned) training of all his vines, and his idealism extends to keeping one-third of his vineyard land fallow on a ten-year rotation. Barral grows Syrah on his highest and northeast-facing sites “to preserve freshness and because Syrah is like Chardonnay — it doesn’t like the sun,” whereas his southern exposures permit Mourvèdre to ripen already by the end of September. With one exception, even Barral’s 2006 raw materials — consistently impressive and almost confectionary in ripeness — were not yet assembled when I visited him last December, so tasting notes on approximations to the eventual wines are impossible. Some of his 2007 lots had not even finished their primary fermentation at that point, yet were capable of displaying almost oceanic depths of minerality and more animal spirits than the hoofed herd wandering the estate’s vine rows. Would-be clients would be wise to make plans — or supplications to the deities of allocation — now, in hopes of getting a small share of Barral’s amazing wines. “Ripeness” here, incidentally, encompasses not only intense sweetness of fruit, but alcohol of 15% and up. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524