Profile

Structure

Bodymedium
Tanninmedium
Aciditymedium
Sweetnessdry
Finishlong
Oaknone or neutral

Drinking window

Best 3 to 12 years from vintage.

vintage3 yrs12 yrs14 yrs

Critic scores

No critic score is published for this bottle that we can cite with a reviewer, a vintage and a review year, so none is shown. The rating above is our own.

In the glass

Medium-bodiedMedium tanninMedium acidityDryLong finish

Aroma: red and black fruit, garrigue, rosemary, graphite

Palate: raspberry, cracked pepper, thyme, fine tannin, schist minerality

Old-vine Carignan-led entry red from biodynamic icon Didier Barral. From 40-70-year-old vines on Faugères schist; aged unoaked in cement and steel.

What it pairs with

With cheese

Pélardon Our pick accords-mets-vins.fr advises light, low-tannin reds for Pélardon, such as a young Saint-Chinian or a lightly extracted Faugères, and warns that a powerful or oaky red crushes it. A medium-bodied red raised mostly in concrete or old wood, with supple tannin, keeps the goat's milk in view.

History

Didier Barral founded Domaine Léon Barral in 1993 near Lenthéric in Faugères, named for his grandfather. An early proponent of biodynamic farming and animal-driven viticulture, with cows and pigs grazing between vine rows. The Tradition is the entry-level red, sourced from 40-70-year-old Carignan, Grenache and Cinsault vines on 14 hectares of schist.

  1. 1993Didier Barral founds the estate, named for his grandfather Léon
  2. 2002Estate certified biodynamic

Facts

Producer
Domaine Léon Barral · visiting guide
Grapes
Carignan (55%), Grenache (25%), Cinsault (20%)
Classification
AOC Faugères
Oak
Aged 24 months in cement and stainless steel tanks; no oak
ABV
13.5%
Price
€25-35 at retail
Drinking window
3-12 from vintage
First vintage
1993
Biodynamic
Biodynamic Practicing
Organic
ORGANIC CERTIFIED
Vegan
Yes (no animal-derived fining)

Frequently asked about Faugères Tradition

What does Faugères Tradition taste like?

Red and black fruit, garrigue, rosemary and graphite on the nose; raspberry, cracked pepper, thyme, fine tannin and schist minerality on the palate. Medium-bodied with a long finish.

When should I drink Faugères Tradition?

Drink between 3 and 12 years from vintage. Brief carafe before serving helps the unoaked aromatics unfold.

What food pairs with Faugères Tradition?

Grilled lamb chops with rosemary is the canonical match; a charcuterie board and aged Tomme des Pyrénées are equally strong pairings.

Is Faugères Tradition biodynamic?

Yes - Domaine Léon Barral is biodynamic, with Didier Barral one of the earliest practitioners in Faugères. Cows and pigs graze between rows; no synthetic inputs.

Tags

biodynamic carignan cinsault dry grenache medium acid medium body medium tannin medium term mood contemplative mood rustic mood savoury occasion dinner party occasion special old vines old world organic pairs with aged cheese pairs with charcuterie pairs with red meat price trade up still red vegan

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