Jurançon’s Grande Dame: Anne-Marie Barrère

Mme Barrère in her vintage Citroën.

Along with Henri Jayer, Domaine Huët, and Billecart Salmon, storied importer Robert Chadderdon also discovered the legendary Jurançon of Domaine Barrère, which he began importing under the label of Anne-Marie and her sister Christiane’s father, “Alfred Barrère, Proprietaire Viticulteur.”

Now in her eighth decade, Anne-Marie still tends vines roughly her age, while her 94-year-old maman looks after their kitchen garden. Planted in 1945, their 3-hectare “Clos de la Vierge” is planted exclusively to Gros Manseng to produce fabulous dry Jurançon Sec, while their “Clos Cancaillaü” has both Gros Manseng and Petit Manseng and offers a range of dry and doux bottlings, most notably their “Le Dernier Carré” and “Crème de Tête.”

Mme Barrère and her winemaker, Damiens Sartori, in her prized Clos Cancaillaü.

Mme Barrère with Damiens Sartori, and Lionel Osmin.