“Brilliant wines readers will love to have in their cellars.” – Jeb Dunnuck

Sign me up, Jeb! The one, the only: Le Clos du Caillou, and their Quartz today with double 96 points, sits in a pantheon alongside some of the best Châteauneuf-du-Pape producers.

Our price (lowest anywhere, thanks to 40% off) makes it a no-brainer for anyone serious about Rhône wines - or just wants to experience truly world-class Châteauneuf for less.

Going back to 1895, this former hunting preserve proved to have some of the finest terroir in all of the appellation, farmed organically and biodynamically. Vinous says; “Longtime winemaker Bruno Gaspard and the Vacheron family are producing some of the finest wines in the entire Rhône Valley.”

Fruit for Quartz hails from a mix of sandy soils and the ‘galets roulés’ that define the region. The name ‘Les Quartz’ refers to those large stones, which capture the warm sun and release that heat slowly in the evenings. This helps create a perfect environment for ripening. The 60-year-old Grenache vines are just humming with life. And that sandy soil where the Syrah grows? Yea, it’s next to Rayas. Just sayin’.

SO FRESH! Incredible purity and depth of fruit, with kirsch, raspberry syrup, wild alpine strawberries, red licorice, and that unmistakable perfumed “garrique” note (thyme, rosemary and lavender all growing wild around these vineyards). A gorgeous minerality runs through it as well, and the finish just doesn’t quit. Irresistible right now, but built to age, this has a classic CdP style to it – but oh so masterfully made, not super extracted or heavy - just a beautifully pure and intense expression of the prized appellation.

We fought for every bottle we could get, so there’s precious little to spare.

96 Points – Wine Advocate “Near Courthézon, Le Clos du Caillou cultivates 53 hectares of vines—nine within the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation and 44 classified as Côtes-du-Rhône, the legacy of a 1930s mapping anomaly. Sylvie and Marilou Vacheron direct the estate today, with Bruno Gaspard overseeing winemaking. Certified organic since 2010, the Domaine has integrated biodynamic practices in select parcels. Soils are managed through under-vine cultivation and alternating or permanent cover crops. Synthetic treatments are excluded, with copper, sulfur, and plant-based preparations used instead. Grenache predominates, complemented by Mourvèdre, Syrah, Counoise, and Cinsault, much of it from massal selections. Old bush vines anchor many parcels. Pruning is traditional, and the estate avoids green harvesting; typical yields range from 20 to 25 hectoliters per hectare. Harvesting is manual, with fruit collected in small crates to preserve integrity. Sorting takes place in both the vineyard and at reception. Depending on stem maturity, 10% to 30% of whole clusters are retained. Fermentations proceed with indigenous yeasts in concrete, epoxy-lined tanks or wooden tronconic vats. Macerations last 18 to 28 days, with extraction managed through remontage and occasional délestage, adjusted parcel by parcel. Malolactic fermentations occur naturally. Élevage, tailored to cépage and site, employs concrete vats, old foudres and demi-muids. New oak is avoided, and fining or filtration is undertaken only when necessary. The result is a style that privileges purity, balance and terroir expression. The 2023 vintage highlighted the estate’s capacity to navigate climatic variability. Timely rainfall in June, July, August and late September sustained vine health, yielding wines with lower production volumes but greater concentration and freshness. Alcohol levels registered about half a degree higher than in 2022, 2020 or 2019, yet balance remains intact, underscoring Clos du Caillou’s precision in both vineyard and cellar. The 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Quartz is another standout, bursting with aromas of peonies, lilac, dark cherries, fresh thyme and exotic spices. Medium- to full-bodied, layered and enveloping, it offers a deeper, more powerful mid-palate than La Réserve, framed by velvety tannins that carry through to a long, penetrating and seemingly endless finish. A blend of 80% Grenache Noir and 20% Syrah, matured entirely in large and used barrels, this is the most mineral expression in the Vacheron cellar this year. Drink 2028-2048.”

96 Points – Jeb Dunnuck “The Vacheron family, along with winemaker Bruno Gaspard, continues to make some of the region’s finest wines. Located on the border of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in the Courthézon region, the estate is composed of 44 hectares in Côtes du Rhône and nine hectares in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and releases a range of brilliant Châteauneuf-du-Papes as well as Côtes du Rhônes. Sylvie and Marilou Vacheron run the estate today. The Côtes du Rhône range includes Le Caillou, Le Bouquet des Garrigues, Les Quartz, and La Réserve, while the Châteauneuf-du-Pape lineup includes Le Tradition (the entry-level cuvée made with the idea of early drinking), Les Safres (90% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre from sandy soils in les Bédines), Les Quartz (80% Grenache, 20% Syrah from les Cassanets with galets roulés and sandy Safre soils), and La Réserve (60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre from Pignan and Guigasse on sandy Safre soils). The wines are fully destemmed (there might be a touch of stems here and there) and aged in a mix of foudre, demi-muids, and neutral barrels. These are impeccably made wines that show remarkable purity and balance, yet I find the style here has become increasingly refined and elegant over the past few vintages, at times at the expense of personality and character. Mulled black cherries, roasted garrigue, spice, and hints of fresh cut flowers and rose define the 2023 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Les Quartz, which is based on 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah from 50% galets roulés and 50% sandy Safre soils in les Cassanets lieu-dit, fully destemmed and aged in 80% demi-muids and 20% neutral barrels. It’s medium to full-bodied and elegant, with ultra-fine tannins, a seamless, layered, elegant mouthfeel, and fine tannins. It’s impeccably made, very clean, and pure, with beautiful length on the finish. It should evolve nicely over the coming 10-15 years. Drink 2025-2040.”