Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2023

	One of the top companies in this famous wine region
	Elegant style, with length and freshness
	Less alcohol than normal and therefore very drinkable
	Châteauneuf-du-Pape of great class

 

 

Bright red in color and a beautiful aroma, with jammy red fruit and nuances of laurel and roasted notes. The palate begins elegantly and full-bodied, developing a refined aromatic finish with a long, balanced finish.

A common pitfall in a renowned wine region is that producers focus more on name recognition than on quality. This happens frequently, and it usually leads to significant disappointments if you assume a low-priced offering from a well-known appellation is also good. Unfortunately, the Appellation Control inspections focus more on provenance than on taste. Quality comes at a price, and that's especially true in a region like Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Their good reputation is based on a limited group of winemakers who excel in quality.

 

Like the small Le Clos du Caillou in Courthézon, where Sylvie Vacheron and Bruno Gaspard make impressive red wines. The "Tradition" is the first in the Châteauneuf range. The grapes are harvested by hand and sorted again in the cellar for quality. Fermentation begins with wild yeast in concrete tanks, after which the wine matures for 15 months in large wooden barrels. These no longer impart woody aromas but ensure stability and maturation. The average age of the 85% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, and 5% Syrah grapes is 30 years, and the yield in the vineyard is under 30 hl/ha. Very nice!