Les Clos Perdus - L'Extrême Rouge 2016
Les Clos Perdus is located in Peyrac-de-Mer in Corbières, in the Roussillon. The domaine is managed by Hugo Stewart, Paul Old, Faith Wilson and Stuart Nix. After a career of over 20 years as a professional dancer, Paul returned to his native Australia to study Wine Science at Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga. He joined forces with Hugo Stewart in 2003 to form Les Clos Perdus. Faith Wilson is an arts PR with a passion for wine and in 2018, she bought shares in the company and became an Associate. Stuart Nix is also a wine passionate but it wasn't until 2010 that he joined forces to help the rest of the team with the vintage. Since then he has worked with Les Clos Perdus on financial matters, and joined as a partner in 2014. They founded the domaine with 1.5 hectares of vines in the Corbières Maritime. In the following year, they acquired more parcels in the Hautes Corbières hills and on the schistose slopes of the Agly Valley. Now, they have 20 hectares of organic and biodynamic vines in 32 different parcels. They have established three unique terroirs, each represented by an individual wine.
L’Extrême Rouge is a blend of Lladoner Pelut (75%) and Syrah (25%). They are cultivated on a 2-hectare parcel on steep north-facing schistose marls at Mas de las Fredas in Agly Valley. The bunches are destemmed without crushing, with 20% of bunches left whole. Fermentation is done by the action of indigenous yeasts; half in new French oak barrels of 400 litres, and half in stainless steel tanks. After vertical pressing, aging is done in barrels and 400-litres stainless steel vats on fine lees for 20 months. Bottling is done without fining and without filtration. These vines, growing in a hostile environment, have a low yield and create a wine typical of this terroir, both concentrated and delicate.
Grape varieties: 75% Lladoner Pelut, 25% Syrah