Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Safres BLANC 2024

Coming from the sandy lieu-dit of Les Bedines which adjoins Le Caillou (adjoining Pignan and down the lane from Rayas) 40% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne and 30% Clairette from vines averaging 40 years old giving low yield of 25 hl/ha. Hand-picking with sorting in the vineyard and in the cellar. Pneumatic pressing in whole bunches. Cold settling during one night (10°C). Vinification of 20% of the wine in barrels of 1 wine and 80% in barrels of 5 to 7 wines. Aged in barrel for just 4 months then blended back into tank. This wine shows a bright acacia honey color with bright reflections. On the nose, we find white flowers aromas, associated with tropical fruits, roasted pear and fresh vanilla hints. It is a structured white wine, showing superb balance and vibrant freshness! We can drink it on the youth to enjoy of its freshness and minerality, or age it for a while to obtain evolving aromas, volume and a full-bodied wine. Ageing potential of more than 15 years. 2024 whites in the southern Rhone are particularly successful with excellent natural acidity giving lift and length and definition to the palate.

'Checking as a blend of 40% Grenache Blanc, 30% Roussanne, and 30% Clairette that’s all from the Les Bédines lieu-dit, the 2023 Châteauneuf Du Pape Les Safres Blanc is brilliant, with a ripe melon, honeyed flower, and mint-driven perfume as well as medium-bodied richness and depth on the palate. It has a kiss of background toast and oak, flawless balance, and a great finish. I love it today, yet it should keep for a decade. Drink 2024-2034.’
95 points, Jeb Dunnuck, October 2024.

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.