Château Du Clos

Le Clos du Caillou / Domaine du Caillou

Les Quartz Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2023

🍷 The epitome of elegance in Châteauneuf-du-Pape

☝️ This is not your average high octane CNdP rouge. It’s a pristine, beautiful expression from the Le Clos du Caillou.

😆 We were fortunate to visit this family-run estate in the spring, an informative tour led by Marilou Vacheron, who’s helping to lead winemaking for the estate. Un grand merci for your generosity, Marilou!!

🪨 The soil behind Les Quartz are some of the region’s most distinctive, coming from the lieu-dit “Les Cassanets” with sandy soils beneath a layer of quartz-rich pebbles.

👌 This unique soil is known to produce wines of purity, finesse, and lifted aromatics.

🍇 This cuvée is primarily Grenache next to Syrah, harvested by hand, and fermented in oak through the work of native yeast. The Grenache and Syrah were each aged in oak (different vessels) for 14 mos.

👀 The result is concentrated and lifted with blue and black fruits such as blueberry, mulberry, muddled black cherry, next to peppercorn, meat, violets, crushed stone, clove, vanilla, black licorice, cardamom, and earth.
— 4 days ago

Deked1
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Jay Kline

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Great stuff, as usual, Vanessa! Something else that I find pretty interesting about “Les Quartz” is that the Les Cassanets lieu dit is right next to Chateau Rayas….so they share very similar soil. The main difference is the exposure; Rayas is more north facing and protected.
Vanessa

Vanessa

@Jay Kline This is a fun fact—thank you for sharing it! Top quality terroir behind this wine. And considering its price point, it’s an insane value.
Jay Kline

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@Vanessa certainly better than Rayas 😅😩

Domaine des Baumard

Clos du Papillon Savennières Chenin Blanc 1997

Textbook Savennières - chiseled, crisp acidity still in evidence, lemon, apple, pear, quince, hay, peach, almond and honey. Still stunningly fresh and mouth filling. Dry but thickly textured. Glorious at nearly 30 years of age. — a month ago

Vin, Paul and 2 others liked this

Château Léoville-Las Cases

Grand Vin de Leoville du Marquis de las Cases Saint-Julien Red Bordeaux Blend 2022

Bomb ass wine!!! Explosive, so so good. Floral, fruity, everything you could want out of a great Bordeaux. Had over lunch after work with dad and Marcello (grandpa and Gina in attendance) — 22 days ago

Château de Beaucastel

Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône Red Rhône Blend 1988

So, initially I thought this was nowhere near the 1990 Marcoux CdP, and this is Côtes du Rhône (WHAT????), but for a 38 year old CdR, it’s pretty fine, zero tannins, definitely lower alcohol (label says 12.5% ABV, but I’m not buying it?!?!), but no noticeable ABV and smooth and suave, honestly, I attribute the great showing to the 1988 vintage!!? — 2 months ago

Jim Powers
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Steven, Peter and 8 others liked this
Peter van den Besselaar

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i like surprises
Ira Schwartz

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@Doug Powers would’ve put my money on over the hill. . So great when I’m wrong on those.. Very happy for you.

Clos des Papes

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 1990

Like the last bottle, this shows some VA (though nowhere as bad as the bottle from 3-4 months ago), redfruits, some earthy aromas as well, good depth and balance on the palate, lingering finish, overall a very good bottle of aged Clos des Papes CdP. — 5 days ago

Jim Powers
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Ira, Brian and 6 others liked this

Domaine Huet

Clos du Bourg Sec Vouvray Chenin Blanc 2021

Jan A
9.4

At/near peak for my palate. If you like more developed notes, no rush... — 9 days ago

Rene, Ira and 15 others liked this

Château Rayas

Réservé Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache Blend 2013

Jol
9.4

2013 s est ouvert plus rapidement robe presque rosée — 2 days ago

Ira liked this

Château Mont-Redon

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2016

Still catching up from two weeks ago. Well wasn’t this quite the joy! Slightly shy upon opening, with more red fruit on the palate. Developed considerably in the glass and bottle, filling out with black fruit and a tight, beautiful tannin core. Seems in a great place right now but with years ahead of it. — a month ago

Château de Saint-Cosme

Côtes du Rhône Syrah 2024

At Stubborn Seed in Vegas — a month ago

Paul, Scott@Mister and 7 others liked this

Krug

Clos du Mesnil Brut Blanc de Blancs Champagne Chardonnay 2004

A light nose of lime and stone. A hint of green apple. On the palate lovely fine acidity. This it’s defined and sharp and edgy with great definition and very fine detail. Lovely stuff — 2 months ago

Jay, Bob and 6 others liked this

Château La Nerthe

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2024

Very fresh. Nice fruit and finish. — 3 months ago

Quinn liked this

Château de Beaucastel

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2023

2023 vintage. 6.3.26. — 4 months ago

Jan, Ray and 12 others liked this

Château de la Gardine

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2015

Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.

Beautiful nose of blueberries, black plums, cherries, spices, dark chocolates, oak, licorice and black pepper.

Medium plus in body with medium acidity.

Dry on the palate with black plums, cooked cherries, herbs, spices, light cedar, earth, chocolates and peppercorn.

Tangy finish with fine grained tannins and raspberries.

This is a delicious GSM blend from Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Elegant and rich. Fruit forward and complex.

This 11 year old, from the great 2015 vintage, is drinking beautifully now, and will continue to age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.

I've had the 2021 vintage not too long ago, and this one is drinking much better now.

Nicely balanced, and good by itself as a sipping wine or with food.

A blend of mostly Grenache, with Syrah and Mourvedre.

14.5% alcohol by volume.

92 points.

$70.
— 17 days ago

Ted, Doug and 7 others liked this

Foreau - Domaine du Clos Naudin

Vouvray Sec Chenin Blanc 2019

Quintessential. Honey, golden apples, lanolin, and wool. There must be a few grams of RS here. Finish is as long as the day was at our shop. A well deserved reward. Drinking great, but will last and last like the classic it is. — 10 days ago

Joe, Tom and 2 others liked this

Château du Tertre

Margaux Red Bordeaux Blend 2012

Love this. Great Bordeaux flavors. Plums, cassis, cedar, earth, blackberry, pepper, so good. Great with food. In such a great place. — 2 days ago

jesus and Tom liked this

Clos de l'Oratoire des Papes

Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhône Blend 2023

Timothy Eustis
9.3

My style of CdP. 2023. Rich and fruity with strong backbone of acidity. Ripe tannins, but in background. Garrigue all day long. Love — a month ago

Jay, Peter and 3 others liked this
Peter Sultan

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Plus points for the label!!@Timothy Eustis

Famille Perrin

Château de Beaucastel Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 1990

Classic Besucastel! I first visited this property in 1987, and the Brett character was unmistakeable. This 1990 is aging extremely well. Strong Brett aromas, but the fruit is also strong and in balance. If you are one that thinks Brett is an unforgivable flaw, you will hate this. Great Chateauneuf from a great vintage! Celebrating my son’s 33rd birthday tonight (1993 wasn’t a great vintage in CdP!) with a perfectly grilled NY steak. I am very pleased with this wine — 2 months ago

Doug, Scott@Mister and 6 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

Glad you enjoyed it!! I do prefer the 1988 and 1989, but this is damn good!!!
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Jim Powers, oh, and Happy Birthday to Connor!!

Foreau - Domaine du Clos Naudin

Demi-Sec Vouvray Chenin Blanc 2022

Yum. Everything comes to together — 3 months ago

Ira liked this