Le Clos du Caillou - Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2018
92-94/100
Vinous
90-92/100
Jeb Dunnuck
15,5/20
Jancis Robinson
90/100
Robert Parker
This blend of 70% Grenache, complemented by Mourvèdre and Syrah, offers aromas of red berries, spices, and star anise. The palate, elegant and rich, offers flavors of wild plums and cocoa beans. The finish is marked by sweet spices reminiscent of the garrigue terroir and boasts a lovely, lingering length. A wonderful introduction to Châteauneuf-du-Pape!
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Eye
A carmine-red color with hints of Andrinople
Nose
Magnificent and complex, with aromas of red berries, spices, and star anise
Palate
Elegant and rich, with aromas of wild plums, cocoa beans, and mild spices; long-lasting and aromatic
Serve
Decant at 16-17°C
Open
1 hour before
Drink before
2030+
Food and wine pairings
Serve with venison ballotine with cranberries, roast pork with caramel sauce, duck with mango and thyme, or leg of lamb with herbes de Provence...
Bettane & Desseauve
Rated estate (2024 guide) 3 stars (High-quality production, setting the standard in its sector)
About the estate:
Sylvie Vacheron, recently joined by her daughter Marilou, draws on a vineyard located in the northeastern part of the appellation, part of which produces excellent Côtes-du-Rhône wines, very close to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyards. These wines reach a very high level of expression, with skillfully aged, long-finishing profiles. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines have joined the very select circle of the appellation’s finest wines and are produced according to the nature of their terroir.
Decanter
Rated estate (2022 guide) Recommended
Guide Hachette des vins
Rated estate (2024 guide) Award-winning wines (This producer’s wines are regularly recognized by the guide)
About the estate:
Run by Sylvie Vacheron for over 20 years, alongside oenologist Bruno Gaspard, this organic estate comprises 54 hectares of vineyards, including 9 hectares in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 44 hectares in Côtes-du-Rhône (part of which, Le Clos, is located within the Châteauneuf appellation). The 2020 acquisition of Dom. de Panisse—6.5 hectares in Châteauneuf and 5 hectares in Côtes-du-Rhône—aims to bring in the next generation: Axel and Marilou, Sylvie’s children.
Robert Parker - Wine Advocate
Rated wine (2020 guide) 90/100 (Excellent wine)
Rated estate (2023 guide) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The Wine Advocate)
About the wine:
The 2018 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Tradition is a spicy wine with aromas of leather and cherry, made from a blend of the estate’s own grapes and purchased grapes (all certified organic). It is medium-bodied to full-bodied, smooth and silky, with a generous charm, though lacking in depth and richness. Best enjoyed within the next 5 to 7 years.
About the estate:
Always one of my most eagerly anticipated visits, Le Clos du Caillou continues to produce some of the finest, most consistent Châteauneufs, year after year. Marilou Vacheron and Bruno Gaspard are generally candid in their assessments of the vintages.
RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France
Rated estate (2024 guide) 1*Star (Up-and-coming stars or quality winemakers producing wines of a high standard—you won’t be disappointed when tasting the wines from these estates)
About the estate:
Le Clos du Caillou, a 53-hectare estate located in the town of Courthézon, has been certified organic since 2010. Sylvie Vacheron and her children, Marilou and Axel, who recently returned to the estate, have guided the wines toward greater finesse and depth. Along with Château de Panisse in 2020, Clos du Caillou acquired an additional 6.5 hectares in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 7.5 hectares in Côtes du Rhône. Old Cinsault vines planted in the 1950s and Grenache vines from the 1920s are also part of the acquisition.
Jancis Robinson
Wine rated 15.5/20
Rated: Recommended
Vinous
Wine rated 92–94 out of 100
Rated winery (2023 guide) Recommended
Jeb Dunnuck
Wine rated (2020 guide) 90-92/100
Rated winery (2023 guide) Recommended
About the estate:
The Vacheron family, Bruno Gaspard, and consultant Philippe Cambie continue to work their magic at this modestly sized estate located on the eastern edge of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. They produce a host of cuvées, all remarkable, with their two flagship Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines, Le Quartz and La Réserve, bordering on perfection in just about every vintage.
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