Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone Rouge Reserve 2020
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The final blend of the 2020 Cotes du Rhone La Reserve is 70% Grenache and 30% Mourvèdre. Deeper, darker and more concentrated than the other Cotes du Rhone cuvees here, it's still impressively elegant and balanced. Black cherries nestle in a complex web of herbal intricacies, bolstered on the full-bodied palate by a wonderfully silky structure and awesome length.
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Jeb Dunnuck
In the same ballpark, the 2020 Côtes Du Rhône Reserve has a perfumed nose of spiced red and black fruits, as well as plenty of peppery, garrigue, and subtle meaty notes. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, it doesn't have the density or depth of prior vintages but is still an outstanding wine.
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Wine Spectator
There is impressive harmony to this inviting wine, with floral-laced cassis and steeped tea flavors woven with singed sandalwood and iron. Stylish and silky-textured, with dark earth emerging on the lingering finish. Delicious. Grenache and Mourvèdre. Drink now through 2026. 380 cases made, 56 cases imported.
Other Vintages
2018-
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—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.