Château Gros Caillou

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.
— 2 days ago

Deked1
with Deked1
Deked1, Tom and 9 others liked this
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 Gros Frère et Sœur

Bourgogne Hautes Côtes de Nuits Rouge Pinot Noir

Deep ruby red. Raspberry blueberry and Plum. Fruitiness M+ Sweetness M+ Acidity M Gentle Tannin M Bitterness M Body M Finish M % Elegant and juicy. Domaine Gros Frère et Sœur Bourgogne Hautes Cotes de Nuits Pinot Noir 22 @, Vin, 260330 — 6 months ago

Domaine Michel Gros

Aux Brûlées Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2010

2010 vintage. 4th of 4 bottles. Last officially tasted 2.22.25 (9.4) but tasted two other bottles since...about 6 and 8 months ago. All three visits decanted, medium body, showing more fruit than expected and rated 9.4. This last bottle not decanted and tasted with @romo after approx 30 minutes open and again after 1.5 hours open. Light-medium/medium body. Most advanced of the four experiences and the least amount of fruit. Allowed for the delicate, finishing latticework to develop without distractions. Another 3-4 years in this current state before detouring elsewhere seems about right. 01.16.26. — 8 months ago

David, Tom and 12 others liked this

Le Clos du Caillou / Domaine du Caillou

Les Quartz Côtes du Rhône Red Rhone Blend 2020

Rack of Lamb is on the menu tonight and this delicious, easy drinking blend of Grenache and Syrah (80/20), from a unique vineyard footprint that lies in both CNDP and CDR, comes this 2020 Les Quartz from the h in igh quality southern Rhone, Les Clos du Caillou producer.

It displays a gorgeous, leggy, red berry appearance that is backed up by perfumed red and black berry aromas and flavors.

Overall, it is full bodied, lightly structured with a good balance of crisp acidity and light, dusty tannins, which together, deliver a delicious, mouth coating finish. (BTW, It worked beautifully with a sashimi grade tuna appetizer!)
— a year ago

Domaine Gros Frère et Sœur

Echezeaux Grand Cru Pinot Noir

2011 very bright spicy fruit but balanced — 5 years ago

Neil, Paul and 23 others liked this

Domaine du Gros' Noré

Bandol Blanc Ugni Blanc Clairette 2025

Strawberry nose, candied strawberries. Very slightly frizzante. Delicious but not overtly complex. One can see why this particular assemblage, named for the pet/colloquial name of Honoré Pascal: The Big.
Supposedly not only was he large, but mellow. Drinking this all day could do that.
But I digress, It’s somewhat indistinct on the palette…but I don’t think that’s the intent. It goes down SO easily and is good with summer foods , that’s the point. There’s a trace of bitterness that’s welcome on the finish. It could be that there are those of us who are inclined towards southern French delicate ones.
Interestingly, on day 2 this was much more interesting and went swimmingly with homemade Baba Ganouj and Chicken in Kubbe sauce(a Middle Eastern chickpea, carrot , celery and spice soup we transformed into a sauce). Along with some Harrisa….
Think I’ll have to revise that silly score.
With Randy.
— 4 days ago

Tom, Ray and 8 others liked this

Domaine Arretxea

Hegoxuri Irouléguy Petit Courbu Blend 2023

Ming L
9.1

A blend of Gros Manseng, Petit Manseng, and Petit Courbu from the Irouleguy AOC in the French side of the Basque region, this immediate reminds me Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Blanc in its aromatic intensity but with more citrus and mineral snaps and less tropical exotics.

On the palate it’s refreshing and savory at the same time, with a saline and lightly herbal edge. Not as rich and textured as Pacherenc du Vic-Bilh Blanc, but still has a substantial feel.

A fascinating white.
— a month ago

Joel, Bob and 2 others liked this

Château Talbot

Caillou Blanc Sec Bordeaux Sauvignon Blanc 2025

2025 vintage (primeur). — 5 months ago

Ruud, Peter and 1 other liked this

Tenute Cisa Asinari dei Marchesi di Grésy

Camp Gros Martinenga Barbaresco Nebbiolo 2018

Mein erster Marchesi di Gresy. Und nach dem jetzigen abend nicht mein letzter! Ribes, waldkirsche, tabak, thymian, rauchig, etwas caramel, komplex, langer abgang! — 9 months ago

Xenia Zollinger
with Xenia
Andrew and Tegan liked this

Le Clos du Caillou / Domaine du Caillou

Cuvée Unique Vieilles Vignes Côtes du Rhône Red Rhone Blend 2019

Commander's Palace wine and cheese night - Should Have Been Jazz Fest #2 — 5 years ago

Aravind, Milissa and 5 others liked this

Domaine du Gros' Noré

Bandol Mourvedre Blend 2015

This could age longer. Deep purple, some tannins still there, plum/ cherry/ some leather. Surprised to see my brother drank the same bottle-vintage a week ago and I just randomly selected this. He was also the source of this acquisition! — 19 days ago

Dawn, Tom and 2 others liked this
Doug Powers

Doug Powers

@Angelo Casagrande, the better Bandol rouges will age a long time (Tempier, etc.), though I know your brother cringes at the idea of holding them 20 years, for example. Of course, it’s all personal preference.
Dan Casagrande

Dan Casagrande

@Tom Casagrande I concur, it was incredible with the steak. Don’t worry @Angelo Casagrande Tom saved a bottle of yellowtail Shiraz for when you pay a visit 👍
Angelo Casagrande

Angelo Casagrande

Thanks Dan. I’ll bring up some White Zin, your fav, for you this weekend!

Domaine Gros Frère et Sœur

"Musigni" Clos Vougeot Grand Cru Pinot Noir 2014

Miguel fdz gera julio daniel gtz @ stanton — 2 months ago

Daniel liked this

Le Clos du Caillou / Domaine du Caillou

Les Safres Châteauneuf-du-Pape Red Rhone Blend 2020

vintage 2020 | wow, this wine is powerfull with high alcohol, while the smell is playfull with strawberry, cherry, plum and tobacco. — 5 months ago

"Odedi", Tom and 9 others liked this

Domaine du Gros' Noré

Bandol Mourvedre Blend Rosé 2021

In Tulsa Jan 30 2026 — 8 months ago

Dawn liked this

Domaine Michel Gros

Clos des Réas Monopole Vosne-Romanée 1er Cru Pinot Noir 2002

いずこ供出の2022年もの。やっぱりすごい。 — 9 months ago

Camin Larredya

La Part Davant Jurançon Sec Gros Manseng-Petit Manseng Blend 2020

New one for me a dessert wine caramel and passion fruit, smooth much better than standard dessert wines that no longer innovate — 10 months ago

Domaine Michel Gros

Vosne Romanée Pinot Noir 2012

2012 vintage. Solid cork and fill. Decanted and tasted after 20 mins and 45 mins. Medium body. Nice dusty, dirty, funky nose with just a hint of barnyard that dissipated quickly. Great integration and showing quite well currently. Likely another 5-7 years in this current state. Not improving at this point 12.13.24. — 2 years ago

Daniel, Ted and 17 others liked this