Le Clos du Caillou - Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Réserve 2022

Bettane & Desseauve

About the domain :

Sylvie Vacheron, recently joined by her daughter Marilou, relies on a vineyard in the northeast of the appellation, part of which produces excellent Côtes-du-Rhône, very close to Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The latter reach a very high level of expression, with skilfully elevated and long substance. Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines have joined the very select circle of the appellation's finest wines, and are declined according to the nature of their terroir.

Decanter

About the wine:

Very full-bodied, but not excessive, with a strong tannic base from the ripe Mourvèdre. Powerful, this wine has great impact and intensity, it's long and undulating with a firm, dry finish. Truly impressive and silky, with very detailed tannins and tart raspberry acidity. Excellent. Resonant. Grown on the sandy soils of La Guigasse and Pignan sud; aged in demi-muids. Only 5,700 bottles produced.

Guide Hachette des vins

About the domain :

Managed by Sylvie Vacheron for over 20 years, in duo with oenologist Bruno Gaspard, this organic estate boasts 54 ha of vineyards, including 9 ha in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 44 ha in Côtes-du-Rhône (part of which, Le Clos, is enclosed within the Châteauneuf appellation area). The acquisition in 2020 of Dom. de Panisse, 6.5 ha in Châteauneuf and 5 ha in Côtes-du-Rhône, aims to install the new generation: Axel and Marilou, Sylvie's children.

Robert Parker - Wine Advocate

About the wine:

A candidate for perfection, Châteauneuf du Pape La Réserve 2022 is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre from sandy plots in Guigasse and Pignan. Seductive scents of crushed stone, floral elements and almost truffle-like complexities accentuate the black cherry and plum fruit on the nose, while the wine is full-bodied and expansive on the palate, without seeming heavy or overly rich, and the silky finish is almost endless, reverberating with notes of black fruit and licorice.

About the domain :

Always one of my most eagerly awaited visits, Le Clos du Caillou continues to produce produce some of the finest, most consistent Châteauneuf, year after year. Marilou Vacheron and Bruno Gaspard are generally frank in their assessments of the vintages.

RVF - La Revue du Vin de France / Guide des Meilleurs Vins de France

About the domain :

Clos du Caillou, a 53-hectare estate in the commune of Courthézon, has been certified organic since 2010. Sylvie Vacheron and her children, Marilou and Axel, who recently returned to the property, have developed the wines towards greater finesse and depth. With the addition of Château de Panisse in 2020, Clos du Caillou has acquired a further 6.5 hectares in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and 7.5 in Côtes du Rhône. Old Cinsault vines planted in the 1950s and Grenache vines from the 1920s are also included.

Jancis Robinson

Vinous A. Galloni

Jeb Dunnuck

About the wine:

Incredible aromas of red, blue and black fruits, savory flowers, leather and hints of smoked meat define the bouquet, and the palate is impeccable, with perfectly integrated tannins, no rough edges, and an excellent finish.

About the domain :

The Vacheron family, Bruno Gaspard, and consultant Philippe Cambie continue to work their magic at this modest estate on the eastern edge of Châteauneuf du Pape. They produce a host of cuvées, all of them remarkable, with their two Châteauneuf du Pape flagships, Quartz and La Réserve, flirting with perfection in just about every vintage.