Le Clos du Caillou : Châteauneuf-du-Pape La Réserve 2023

Tasting notes and recommendations for the Châteauneuf-du-Pape "La Réserve" 2023 from Clos du Caillou

Tasting

Appearance
The glass reveals a garnet-red hue, enhanced by brilliant ruby and black reflections.

Nose
Highly complex, the bouquet releases aromas of stewed wild fruits such as morello cherry, blackberry, and blackcurrant. It evolves with notes of garrigue evoking rosemary, lavender, and thyme, along with a mineral touch of graphite, before unveiling subtle tertiary nuances of cocoa, coffee, and sweet spices.

Palate
The attack, driven by vibrant fruit, leads into a full and generous mid-palate, supported by supple, finely textured tannins. Flavors of red fruits intertwine with notes of licorice, tonka bean, and roasted hints. The finish, remarkably intense, lingers with spicy touches of white pepper, cinnamon, and ginger.

Food and wine pairings

This red wine pairs beautifully with flavorful meats such as herb-crusted lamb breast, aged Iberian pork, or game birds served with a fruit-based sauce. It also enhances a spelt fricassée with chanterelles, washed-rind cheeses, and can even surprise alongside a chocolate and coffee dessert such as an opera cake.

Serving and cellaring

To fully enjoy this Châteauneuf-du-Pape "La Réserve" 2023, it is recommended to serve it at a temperature between 16 and 18°C, after decanting it from thirty minutes to two hours before tasting. With immense aging potential, this wine can evolve in the cellar until around 2050.

The purity and complexity of a Châteauneuf-du-Pape red wine

The estate

Founded in 1895 as a hunting reserve, Le Clos du Caillou is an iconic estate of the Rhône Valley. Its history is marked by a singular event in 1936, when the owner refused access to experts, excluding a large portion of the land from the appellation. Now led by Sylvie Vacheron, supported by her children Marilou and Axel, the estate spans 53 hectares. Certified organic and later biodynamic in 2020, the estate stands out for its respectful approach to terroir, producing wines of great purity and remarkable authenticity.

The vineyard

The grapes for this cuvée come from the lieux-dits "La Guigasse" and "Pignan". This distinctive terroir is characterized by sandy soils over marl subsoils, offering exceptional drainage and thermal properties that promote early ripening. The vines, cultivated according to organic and biodynamic principles, are particularly old, averaging seventy-five years for Grenache, ensuring remarkable concentration and aromatic complexity.

The vintage

The 2023 vintage stands out for its generous and balanced climatic conditions. After a dry winter, regular rainfall nourished the soils until August. The protective mistral wind ensured perfect vineyard health, eliminating any fungal pressure. The summer, warm and dry, allowed for optimal berry ripening while preserving fine acidity. The harvest, particularly late, began at the end of August and concluded at the end of October, ensuring ideal physiological ripeness.

Winemaking and aging

The creation of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape "La Réserve" 2023 begins with manual harvesting followed by rigorous sorting and complete destemming. The berries co-ferment with indigenous yeasts in truncated cone-shaped wooden vats. Maceration lasts forty-nine days, punctuated by daily manual punch-downs and rack-and-returns. Aging then takes place over fourteen months, with 85% in 600-liter demi-muids and 15% in traditional barrels, using minimal new oak to preserve the expression of the fruit.

Grape varieties

Grenache (60%)
Mourvèdre (40%)