Le Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône BLANC Le Bouquet des Garrigues 2022

40 % Clairette, 20 % Grenache Blanc, 20 % Viognier, 10 % Roussanne, 10 % Bourboulenc from 45 year-old vines, yielding only 25 hl/ha. Hand-picked and hand-sorted, then whole-bunch pressed and settled overnight at 10°C. Cool-fermented in stainless steel tanks and matured on fine lees for 4 months.

'The medium-bodied 2022 Cotes du Rhone Le Bouquet des Garrigues Blanc was picked over approximately six weeks, beginning on August 10 with the Viognier and ending September 27 with the last of the Clairette Rose (the blend also includes Roussanne, Grenache Blanc and Bourboulenc). Scents of lime zest, pear and melon dominate the nose, while the palate is rather lean, with a zesty, focused finish. Drink 2023-2027.' 90 points, Joe Czerwinski, The Wine Advocate, September 2023.

Le Clos du Caillou

The Vacheron family at Le Clos du Caillou turn out a long list of stellar wines in almost every vintage. Their several Côtes du Rhône bottlings often rival or surpass lesser producer's Châteauneufs, and those wines (and the family’s Châteauneufs) authentically reflect their various terroirs, making the domaine’s cellars a learning experience every visit.

Clos du Caillou’s Chateauneuf vineyards are producing some of the most highly regarded and rated Chateauneuf du Papes today including the Quartz and La Reserve cuvees which come from vineyards adjoining the 'Clos' of Clos du Caillou where much of their best Côtes du Rhône originates from. The Chateauneuf lieu-dits that the estate owns vines in are all very close to the estate and winery: Pignan, Guigasse, Les Bedines, Les Cassanets and Coudoulet.

“They produce poised and silky wines of supreme finesse.”
Matt Walls, Wine of the Rhone, 2021.

These are all lieu-dits with higher elevation than most and more trees and wood lands surrounding.

Organic viticulture began in the 1950s and the estate was certified in 2009. Now much of the estate has been farmed biodynamically for almost 20 years. The vines planted in the 1950s and 1960s now have excellent age and the children of Sylvie are in the process of taking over the running of the estate, working with Bruno Gaspard who has been overseeing the winemaking since 2002. The cellars are deep and very cool and enable perfect ageing in an assortment of large foudres, demi-muids and some clay amphoras for 15-18 months for the best cuvees.