2019 Clos du Rouge Gorge Rouge Vieilles Vignes
VARIETAL: Grenache
REGION: Roussillon, FR
VITICULTURE: Organic
WINEMAKER: Cyril Fhal
"Very low yields from 70 to 100 year old vines (nearly all Carignan with some Grenache), meticulous grape selection in the vineyard, gentle extraction (more like infusion), sensitive handling of oak (10 months in 500ltr and older barriques), and minimal sulphur, combine to produce this extraordinary wine. Exuding spicy black fruits with liquorice and a notable mineral freshness, it has an exceptional texture and suppleness with great balance and length. Unfined and unfiltered. Magic and a bargain for what it is." - Andrew Guard
Cyril Fhal's Clos du Rouge Gorge comes from the village of Latour-de-France whose schist and gneiss terroirs are some of the best in Roussillon. Cyril bought 5ha of old vineyards in 2002 (since when he has gradually added another 2.5ha) having previously worked with Mark Angéli and Charlie Foucault in the Loire, and then as the chef de cave of Mas Crémat in Roussillon. Right from the outset he chose to work outside the Roussillon-Villages appellation, as he believes that rules such as prescribing a minimum 30% syrah and/or mourvèdre make for wines that are contrary to the tradition, soil and climate of Roussillon.
Since he took over, Cyril has searched for a natural balance in the vineyard to help give finer and more complex expressions in his wines. To avoid soil compaction he uses no tractors, just a motorized hand-held cultivator and a horse to help with ploughing. He also sows leguminous plants between the rows of vines, rolling them and folding them back in the summer so that they act as a reserve of humidity, helping each vine to suffer less from the heat and keep enough freshness in its grapes, which is crucial as the village of Latour-de-France is known to have the driest non-irrigated vineyard in the world (an average of just 250mm of rain a year). The crux of viticulture for Cyril is observing the nature of each of his vines and their environment with a lot of attention and reacting according to their specific needs.