Le Clos du Caillou Les Quartz Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2022

Le Clos du Caillou Les Quartz Côtes-du-Rhône Rouge 2022

WINERY: Le Clos du Caillou

WINEMAKER: Bruno Gaspard

ESTABLISHED: 1956

REGION: FRANCE • Rhône Valley • Courthezon

APPELLATION: Côtes du Rhône AOC

BLEND: 80% Grenache, 20% Syrah

VINEYARDS: A mix of estate vineyards within the estate’s “clos” or stone walls, with large quartz stones (galets roulés) on the surface and sandy subsoils. This terroir is similar to ‘Les Cassanets,’ the lieu-dit from which the estate makes its Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge ‘Les Quartz.’

AGE OF VINES: 50 years, on average

WINEMAKING: Hand-harvested. Destemmed; fermented on indigenous yeasts in cement tanks. Aged for 14 months in a combination of older French oak barrel and demi-muid. Unfined and unfiltered.

TASTING IMPRESSIONS: Aromas of black cherry, raspberry, with clear notes of crushed stone and graphite. Juicy and textured, mouth-coating; flavors of black cherry, black plum, licorice, cocoa nibs.

PAIRING SUGGESTIONS: Grilled pork sausages with herbs; roasted lamb; ribs with smoky chipotle glaze

Reviews

Wine Advocate – “Marked by intense aromas of black cherries and some more delicate herbal nuances, the 2022 Cotes du Rhone Les Quartz looks to be an excellent vintage for this wine, an 80-20 blend of Grenache and Syrah. It’s full-bodied, supple and richly concentrated, with a long, softly dusty finish.” (91-93 Pts)

Jeb Dunnuck – “I loved the 2022 Le Clos du Caillou Les Quartz Côtes-du-Rhône, and this quintessential Southern Rhône is going to best many a Châteauneuf Du Pape out there. Black raspberries, black licorice, peppery garrigue, and floral notes all show in its aromatics, and it hits the palate with a full-bodied, layered, structured style. It has the firmer tannins that this terroir always yields and will benefit from just a few years in the cellar.” (92-94 Pts)