Le Clos du Caillou - Côtes-du-Rhône Les Quartz 2011

Bettane & Desseauve

About the wine:

One of the appellation’s finest wines, with notes of cocoa and kirsch. Velvety, well-integrated tannins; a wine of true class.

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 achieve a very high level of expression, with skillfully aged, full-bodied, and 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 character of their terroir.

Decanter

Guide Hachette des vins

About the estate:

Run by Sylvie Vacheron for over 20 years, alongside oenologist Bruno Gaspard, this organic estate has 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

About the wine:

Compared to the 2012, the 2011 Côtes du Rhône Les Quartz is more aromatic, with notes of spice, blackberry, licorice, black cherry, roasted meat, and herbs rising from the glass. A great 2011 vintage, rich and full-bodied, with solid depth on the mid-palate and soft tannins. It should be at its best over the next 4 to 5 years. Drink now through 2018.

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

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.

Wine Spectator

Jancis Robinson

Vinous

Jeb Dunnuck

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.