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.
Pair with grilled pork sausages with herbs; roasted lamb; or ribs with smoky chipotle glaze.
Professional Ratings
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Jeb Dunnuck
I loved the 2022 Côtes Du Rhône Les Quartz, and this quintessential Southern Rhône is going to best many a Châteauneuf Du Pape out there. Black raspberries, black licorice, peppery garrigue, and floral notes all show in its aromatics, and it hits the palate with a full-bodied, layered, structured style. It has the firmer tannins that this terroir always yields and will benefit from just a few years in the cellar
Barrel Sample: 92-94 -
James Suckling
A very pure and agile Chateauneuf-du-Pape with notes of red berries, wild strawberries, stones and some peppercorns. Medium body with fine tannins and bright acidity. It has a crunchy and transparent character on the palate with a supple harmony. Great fruit and tension with a succulent finish. 80% grenache and 20% syrah. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Crafted from vines planted on sandy soils with topsoils of galets roulés, the 2022 Cotes du Rhone Les Quartz possesses a dark, deep bouquet of dark cherries, kirsch, violet, garrigue and spices. Moderately weighted with a velvety, juicy attack, it is layered and round, culminating in a gourmand, elegant and long finish. Rating: 91+
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Wine Spectator
A finessed red, with savory richness infusing a core of red plum and grilled apple wood. Salumi and bacon fat notes merge alongside dusty earth, toasted anise and white pepper, while a thread of herbaceousness adds complexity to the supple, enticing palate. The finish, lined with warm stone details, shows good definition. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2028. 2,000 cases made, 80 cases imported.
—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.