Domaine du Clos des Fées : La Petite Sibérie 2020

Characteristics and tasting tips for La Petite Sibérie 2020 by Domaine du Clos des Fées

Tasting

Nose

The nose is powerful and remarkably complex. Upon opening, vanilla notes dominate, the result of aging in new barrels. With aeration, the bouquet evolves rapidly to reveal intense aromas of black fruit: blackberry jam, cassis and warm blueberry tart. Notes of raspberry, chocolate and coffee complete this generous aromatic palette.

Palate

The palate impresses with its incredible finesse and superbly velvety tannins. The powerful and concentrated tannic structure expresses itself with characteristic elegance. The tight tannins offer a memorable velvety texture. The length is breathtaking, with aromatic persistence that continues to evolve for a long time. The wine manifests exuberance and virility while maintaining balance and refinement. A remarkable feature: the aromatic profile changes impressively over hours in the glass, revealing different facets depending on the tasting conditions.

Food and wine pairings

La Petite Sibérie 2020 pairs particularly well with red meats and game. Haunch of venison with cranberries is a classic pairing, as is pigeon or doe fillet. Dishes in sauce and spicy (but not hot) preparations also harmonize perfectly with this wine. For cheeses, opt for creamy washed-rind cheeses, such as a well-aged farmhouse Saint-Nectaire.

Service and storage

It is recommended not to decant La Petite Sibérie 2020. Instead, open the bottle in the morning for dinner, or the evening before for lunch the next day. The ideal service temperature is between 16 and 18°C. This wine will reach its optimal maturity after 10 years and has a cellaring potential of up to 30 years. La Petite Sibérie 2020 can be enjoyed now but will continue to evolve until around 2050.

An iconic Roussillon wine by Domaine du Clos des Fées

The estate

The Domaine du Clos des Fées was founded in 1998 by Hervé Bizeul and his wife Claudine in the Agly Valley, in Roussillon. A former sommelier named Best Young Sommelier of France in 1981, then a specialized wine journalist, Hervé Bizeul discovered the Vingrau terroir in 1997 and decided to settle there to produce his own wines. The estate now spans 40 hectares of vines in production, complemented by a 100-hectare protective ecosystem. Hervé Bizeul still manages the property, applying his philosophy of "reality viticulture" based on pragmatic observation and respect for the terroirs. Clos des Fées has established itself as one of the references of Roussillon, contributing to transforming the perception of this wine region.

The vineyard

La Petite Sibérie comes from a single plot of approximately 2 hectares located on the southern slope of an east-west oriented hillock, in the Calce sector, in the Côtes du Roussillon Villages appellation. The terroir consists of a clay-limestone base topped with a flow of reddish-black schists and mica-schists with exceptional iron content. This plot undergoes extreme weather conditions: a glacial wind from the north-west sweeps through it for more than 200 days a year, creating constant water and thermal stress on the vines. These particular conditions gave the cuvée its name. The Grenache Noir vines are very old, some being pre-phylloxera and ungrafted.

Winemaking and aging

Maceration for La Petite Sibérie 2020 lasts 20 days, with gentle extraction carried out by daily punching down. After running off, the wine is aged in new barrels until the end of malolactic fermentation. Aging is carried out on lees until the end of malolactics. Regular topping up uses a blend of Mourvèdre and Syrah at a rate of 5 to 7% depending on the vintage. Bottling is done without filtration, thus preserving all aromatic nuances and allowing the wine to fully develop in the bottle.

Grape varieties

Grenache Noir (96%)
Syrah (2%)
Mourvèdre (2%)