In the glass
Aroma: black cherry, schist, wild thyme, violet, iron
Palate: black fruit, graphite, olive tapenade, fine-grained tannin
Mid-tier biodynamic Faugères from Léon Barral, named Jadis (formerly). Carignan-Syrah-Grenache from schist; cement and old oak. A cellar wine in the making.
What it pairs with
-
Slow-braised lamb with garlic and thyme
Schist minerality and graphite meet slow-cooked lamb; thyme echoes the wine. -
Wild boar daube
Game finds depth in the wine's iron and olive tapenade register. -
Aged sheep's milk cheese
Old-vine Carignan structure and fine-grained tannin meet hard sheep cheese. -
Truffle pasta
Black fruit and violet aromatics find earthy depth in black truffle.
How to serve Jadis
Allow 90 minutes from open to pour.
- Open and decant. Open 90 minutes before serving for vintages under 10 years old; pour into a wide decanter so the unfiltered, unfined Faugères can breathe and integrate.
- Serve at 16-18°C. Cellar temperature is the band. Below 15 the schist minerality shuts down; above 19 the alcohol pushes forward over the iron and olive register.
- Glassware. Use a large Burgundy-style bowl - wide enough to release the violet and wild thyme aromatics that define biodynamic Barral.
- Pair with the food. Slow-braised lamb with garlic and thyme, wild boar daube, or aged sheep's milk cheese. The wine wants slow-cooked fat and savoury depth.
History
Jadis is Domaine Léon Barral's mid-tier cuvée, sourced from older Carignan, Syrah and Grenache plots on Faugères schist. Aged in cement and old oak demi-muids; no new wood, no fining, no filtration.
- 1996 — First vintage of Jadis released
- 2002 — Estate certified biodynamic
Facts
- Producer
- Domaine Léon Barral
- Grapes
- Carignan, Syrah, Grenache
- Classification
- AOC Faugères
- Oak
- Aged in cement tank and old oak demi-muid; no new oak
- ABV
- 14.0%
- Price
- €40-60 at retail
- Drinking window
- 5-18 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1996
- Biodynamic
- Biodynamic Practicing
- Organic
- ORGANIC CERTIFIED
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Frequently asked about Jadis
What does Jadis taste like?
Black cherry, schist, wild thyme, violet and iron on the nose; black fruit, graphite, olive tapenade and fine-grained tannin on the palate. Full-bodied with a long finish.
When should I drink Jadis?
Drink between 5 and 18 years from vintage. The wine benefits from 90 minutes of decanting in younger vintages.
What food pairs with Jadis?
Slow-braised lamb with garlic and thyme is the canonical match; wild boar daube and aged sheep's milk cheese are equally strong pairings.
How long is Jadis aged?
Aged in cement tanks and old oak demi-muids; no new oak. No fining or filtration before bottling, in line with Didier Barral's biodynamic philosophy.