Le Clos du Caillou Côtes du Rhône BLANC Le Caillou 2022
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50 % Grenache Blanc, 35 % Viognier, 15 % Clairette from 40-50 year-old vines, yielding only 34 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 2022 Cotes du Rhone Le Caillou Blanc is a blend of Grenache Blanc, Clairette and Viognier, including some purchased fruit from the north of Vaucluse. It sees only stainless steel. Notes of pear, tangerine and anise appear on the nose, while the medium-bodied palate is plump and appealing, with hints of chalk and lime zest on the finish. Drink it young.. Drink 2023-2025.' 89 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.