Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone Les Quartz (1.5 Liter Magnum) 2020
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Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
Jeb
Dunnuck
Product Details
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Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Aromas of black cherry, raspberry, with clear notes of crushed stone and graphite. Juicy and textured, mouth-coating; flavors of black cherry, black plum, licorice, cocoa nibs.
Blend: 85% Grenache, 15% Syrah
Professional Ratings
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The super 2020 Cotes du Rhone Les Quartz is an 80-20 blend of Grenache and Syrah that boasts incredible floral aromas and wonderfully pure, crystalline cherry fruit. Full-bodied and silky, this is lovely stuff, long and impeccably balanced on the finish.
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Wine Spectator
A beautiful spice range infuses this generous, full-bodied red, with rooibos tea, cumin and black pepper notes woven with violet, black cherry, vanilla and smoke. Soft and approachable, with nice length and a graphite-laced finish.
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Jeb Dunnuck
The translucent ruby-hued 2020 Côtes Du Rhône Les Quartz has mostly red fruits and floral, spice notes in the medium-bodied, pretty, fresher, streamlined style present in all of these 2020s.
Other Vintages
2019- Decanter
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
James
Suckling
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Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
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Robert
Parker
—Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate
From robust Côtes-du-Rhône to memorable Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Clos du Caillou wines arguably represent some of the finest values in all of France. Proprietor Sylvie Vacheron and winemaker Bruno Gaspard are keeping the great work of the late Jean-Denis Vacheron alive with wines that are heady, robust and mouth-wateringly lush.
Caillou tends wonderfully old Grenache vines, some of which are 70 to 100 years old. With older Syrah and Mourvèdre added to the mix, it’s no wonder that Caillou wines are across the board impressive for their power, extract and deep minerality. The estate’s Chateauneuf terroir borders the impressive domaines of Chateau Rayas and Beaucastel.
Yet many of the Vacheron-Pouizin family's old vines are classified, by a quirk of 1923 politics, Côtes-du-Rhône and Côtes-du-Rhône-Villages. It’s why our Côtes-du-Rhône barrel selections show surprisingly like its kin in Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
In 1996 Jean-Denis Vacheron took full control of the viticulture and élévage at this estate. Under his stewardship, the wines of Caillou steadily gained stature, and today are benchmarks for the appellation. He understood that temperature-controlled fermentation and a cool, clean cellar are necessary to craft wines with refinement and true complexity.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Typically thought of as a baby Chateâuneuf-du-Pape, the term Côtes du Rhône actually doesn’t merely apply to the flatter outskirts of the major southern Rhône appellations, it also includes the fringes of well-respected northern Rhône appellations. White wines can be produced under the appellation name, but very little is actually made.
The region offers some of the best values in France and even some first-rate and age-worthy reds. Red wine varieties include most of the Chateâuneuf-du-Pape varieties like Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, Cinsault, and Counoise, as well as Carignan. White grapes grown include Grenache blanc, Roussanne and Viognier, among others.