Le Clos du Caillou : Côtes du Rhône La Réserve Rouge 2023

Characteristics and tasting notes of the Côtes du Rhône "La Réserve" Rouge 2023 Le Clos du Caillou

Tasting notes

Colour
This wine reveals a seductive carmine red hue, enhanced by ruby highlights that are both deep and vibrant.

Nose
Wonderfully delicate, the aromatic bouquet proves complex. It exudes scents of ripe raspberry and strawberry, intertwined with roasted cocoa beans. These are joined by touches of black fruit, liquorice, spices and a lovely minerality, rounded out by subtle nuances of wild plum jam and blackcurrant liqueur.

Palate
The attack is fresh, pure and powerful, offering remarkable volume infused with elegance. The tannins prove silky and perfectly integrated. The mid-palate unfolds gourmet flavours of black cherry, mocha, Sichuan pepper, sweet spices and forest floor. The whole finishes with a lingering, wonderfully fresh finale.

Food and wine pairing

This cuvée pairs ideally with fine meats and structured dishes. It will beautifully accompany aged rib of beef, a herb-crusted rack of lamb, a roast, or even Mediterranean dishes such as lamb couscous.

Service and storage

The Côtes du Rhône "La Réserve" Rouge 2023 boasts great aging potential and promises a very positive evolution over several years.

The biodynamic elegance of a great Côtes du Rhône by Le Clos du Caillou

The estate

Created in 1895 as a hunting reserve, Le Clos du Caillou is an emblematic name in the Rhône Valley. Acquired by the Pouizin family in 1955, the estate is now run by Sylvie Vacheron, supported by her children Marilou and Axel. This vineyard of around fifty-three hectares has the historic distinctive feature of being an enclave within Châteauneuf-du-Pape, following a gamekeeper's refusal to let the experts in back in 1936. Committed to sustainable viticulture, the estate has been certified organic since 2010 and applies biodynamic methods.

The vineyard

The vines destined for this Côtes du Rhône flourish on an exceptional terroir composed of safres, sand and rolled pebbles. This distinctive soil lends the grapes a refined expression. The vineyard is cultivated according to biodynamic principles, with harvesting carried out entirely by hand to ensure a rigorous selection of the bunches.

The vintage

The year stands out for its mild climate accompanied by adequate rainfall. Thanks to the protective action of the Mistral, the vines' health proved excellent. These favourable weather conditions produced a generous harvest with grapes reaching optimal ripeness, recalling the fine balance of past vintages.

Winemaking and aging

To craft the Côtes du Rhône "La Réserve" Rouge 2023, the grapes are entirely destemmed before co-fermentation in concrete vats using indigenous yeasts. Maceration lasts forty-three days, punctuated by manual punching down, pumping over and délestage. Aging then continues for fourteen months, with 85% in demi-muids and 15% in barrels that have previously held more than three wines.

Grape varieties

70% Grenache, 30% Mourvèdre.