The first time I tasted Domaine Leon Barral’s Faugères—before I knew much about Didier Barral, who named the domaine for his grandfather—I experienced a coup de foudre. It wasn’t really because of the wine’s succulent notes of mixed red and black fruit, spices, and leather. It wasn’t even that it was somehow simultaneously rustic and graceful, dark and light on its feet. Instead, I fell in love with Barral’s Faugères because of the raw, primal feeling the wine gave me: specifically, the desire to go hunting with my uncle in the backwoods of Maine and sip this soulful red by a campfire, far away from city lights and social media.
     Some time after, I discovered that Didier is our last producer to work off the grid, with no cell phone, no email, and no computer. He gardens and raises cows and pigs on his property an hour west of Montpellier. The animals fertilize the soils, trim competing vegetation, and eventually feed Didier and his family. Most importantly, he farms biodynamically, with a zealous devotion to biodiversity, creating an ideal habitat for his vines and all the life around them.
     Incredibly, the wine had communicated a love of nature on its own, before I knew any of this. I therefore recommend that you open a bottle of the 2015 Faugères, which is glorious now, in the outdoors. Take it on your next camping trip or fishing excursion, or at the very least, open it in your backyard and leave your phone inside.
     We put together this discounted 3-pack so you can experience how Didier’s Faugères evolves over time. His wines often surprise people with how well they age. Just make sure to store them in a cool place and when it comes time to open your remaining bottles, surrender yourself to nature’s pull while sipping this gorgeous, off-the-grid Faugères.