Clos du Caillou Cotes du Rhone Reserve 2019

From Clos du Caillou....

2019 VINTAGE: A legendary vintage with perfect balance.
We will remember this vintage as one of the best vintages of the decade in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Spring and summer were dry and hot, with a full week of heatwave end of June –temperatures rose more than 40°c during! The hydric deficit impacted strongly the weight of the berries which were small and very concentrated. The sanitary conditions were excellent with almost no sort out in the vineyard. We had the chance to wait for perfect maturitiesof the grapes. The fresh nights during the summer allowus to harvest grapes with important tannic structure and good PH. The reds are powerful, generous with freshness and such a balance! Ageing potential is very high.

Blend: 80% Grenache - 20% Mourvèdre

AGEING: 90% in demi-muids and 10% in terra-cotta amphoras for 14 months.

TASTING: This wine has a pretty Chinese inky color with purple reflections.The nose shows a stunning bouquet of black plums, chocolate notes and cocoa. All these aromas are linked with soft spices, paprika, cumin, curcuma.The palate of La Réserve is smooth,full-bodied,with very elegant and soft tannins. This is dominated with redcurrant notes, black cherry and licorice.This cuvée is definitely made for a long-term ageing while it is already plenty of pleasure now!

Jeb Dunnuck - 94 Points

"The flagship Côtes du Rhône from this estate, the 2019 Côtes du Rhône La Reserve is certainly the biggest, richest, and most impressive Côtes du Rhône in the lineup. Revealing a deep purple color as well as rich, powerful bouquet of smoky red and black fruits, peppery herbs, crushed stone, and ample Provençal garrigue, it hits the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, a deep, layered mid-palate, and a great finish. This concentrated, Provençal 2019 will benefit from 2-3 years of bottle age and keep for upwards of a decade, if you’re so inclined."