Jean-François Barnier, along with his wife, Céline, are the fourth generation of their family to lead Terres Barnier. Jean-François' great-grandfather, Emile, and his grandfather, Georges, were both grape growers in the southern Rhône village of Sarraines, and his parents, Jean and Nicole, built a cellar to create wines from their estate vineyards. In addition to their 14 hectares in Vacqueyras and 13 hectares of Côtes du Rhône, the Barnier family also own a thriving vine nursery of almost 100 hectares planted to over 40 different grape varietals! Jean-François and his family are farmers first and foremost, emphasizing traditional values such as stewardship of the land, hard work and creating great wines. While he may refer to himself as a peasant, and his wines as peasant wines, there is nothing pedestrian about this beautiful Vacqueyras — it's a wine fit for a king!

The Terres Barnier Terre d'Emile is a blend of 50% Grenache, 40% Syrah and 10% Mourvèdre from vines grown on the stony-clay and calcareous soils of Vacqueyras. One of the (many) attributes of the wine that strike me is its aromatic purity: pristine notes of mixed berries, cherries, roses, lavender and herbs waft from the glass. The palate is soft and voluptuous with structured, pillowy tannins and plenty of depth and persistence to compliment the mix of ripe red fruits, savory herbs and delicate floral tones that blend together with remarkable complexity. The finish is long and concentrated showcasing the impressive energy and structure of this stunning Vacqueyras. After admiring the first sip, you need to take a step back to enjoy the fireworks! You can drink the wine now, though it will age gracefully over the next 5+ years. Enjoy with roast game birds, barbecued beef or smoked venison.