Winemaker Notes
Pairs well with grilled pork sausages with herbs, roasted lamb, and ribs with smoky chipotle glaze.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
Ratcheting up the quality level, the 2018 Côtes du Rhône Les Quartz is a brilliant wine based on 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah that comes from vines just around the estate in the eastern sector of Châteauneuf du Pape. Vivid ruby, with a stunning bouquet of kirsch liqueur, black raspberries, Provençal garrigue, and Asian spices, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, the seamless, elegant character that’s common in the vintage, and a great finish. This would easily pass undetected in a blind lineup of top Châteauneuf du Papes. Enjoy bottles over the coming 5-7 years.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Slightly bigger and more structured than the "Garrigues" bottling, the 2018 Cotes du Rhone Les Quartz boasts hints of bay leaf and violets accenting cherry and leather notes. Full-bodied and admirably concentrated, framed by silky tannins, this blend of Grenache and Syrah finishes long and savory. It should drink well for at least five years.
—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.