Le Clos du Caillou - Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Réserve 2022
Rhône
Red
Sold individually
To keep
98/100
Robert Parker
-
97-99/100
Jeb Dunnuck
-
97/100
Decanter
"La Crème de la crème, to always have in reserve!"
"A candidate for perfection, Châteauneuf du Pape La Réserve 2022 is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre from sandy parcels 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." (Wine Advocate 2023).
Features
Estate
Clos du Caillou
Cuvée
La Réserve
Vintage
2022
Designation
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Region
Rhône
Grape varieties
60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre
Terroirs
Sandy soils in the "La Guigasse" and "Pignan" districts, giving the wine finesse and freshness.
Viticulture
Certified organic
Harvest
Manual
Winemaking
100% de-stemming, followed by co-fermentation in wooden truncated-cone tanks, alcoholic fermentation with indigenous yeasts, manual punching down and delestage during the entire grape maceration period (49 days).
Breeding
14 months, 85% in demi-muids (600L), 10% in amphoras and 5% in barrels
Alcohol content
15%
Organic
Yes
Tasting & pairing
Eye
Carmine red with ruby highlights
Nose
Delicate, with aromas of ripe strawberries and raspberries, roasted cocoa beans.
Mouth
Powerful, pure, fresh with great volume and elegance, aromas of blackcurrant liqueur, wild plum jam, combined with liquorice stick and Sichuan pepper notes, fresh, long finish.
Serve
Decant at 16-17°C
Open
1 hour before decanting
Drink before
2050+
Food and wine pairing
Enjoy with venison seared in butter and fleur de sel with a local truffle sauce, hare à la royale, poularde stuffed with foie gras, leg of lamb with Provençal tomatoes and roast potatoes, farm duck with kumquats...
Clos du Caillou
Châteauneuf-du-Pape
Expert opinion
Bettane & Desseauve
Domaine rated (guide 2024) 3*Stars (High-quality production that can serve as a benchmark in its sector)
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. These reach a very high level of expression, with skilfully elevated, long finish. 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
Wine rated (guide 2023) 97/100
Rated area (2022 guide) Recommended
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
Domaine noté (guide 2024) Award-winning wines (The wines of this producer are regularly awarded by the guide)
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
Wine rated (guide 2023) 98/100 (Exceptional)
Domaine noté (guide 2023) Recommended (Wine producer recommended by Robert Parker - The 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 parcels 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
Domaine rated (guide 2024) 1*Star (Stars in the making or quality winegrowers with a good level of production, you won't be disappointed when you taste the wines from these estates)
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
Recommended area
Vinous A. Galloni
Rated domain (guide 2023) Recommended
Jeb Dunnuck
Wine rated (guide 2023) 97-99/100
Rated domain (guide 2023) Recommended
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.
Customer reviews
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