Le Clos du Caillou

Clos du Caillou is located within a former game reserve abutting the border of the Châteauneuf-du-Pape AOC. In 1936, the owner at the time declined to grant access to his land to experts in charge of delineating the appelation’s boundaries. As a result, the clos is now in an enclave on the periphery of Châteauneuf-du-Pape and the wines made within its walls are classified as Côtes du Rhône-Villages. Whether Quartz and Reserve, they are rich and textured. They also make two basic Côtes du Rhônes, a CDR Clos du Caillou and a CDR Bouquet des Garrigues.

Beyond the clos itself, the property also owns nine hectares of AOC Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The resultant cuvées Les Safres and Réserve are from sandy soils, and their Quartz comes from a terroir of rounded galets.

Clos du Caillou’s reputation was built by the genial Jean-Denis Vacheron, husband of Sylvie Pouizin. He died tragically in 2002. Since then, Sylvie has hired the oenologist Bruno Gaspard to forge ahead along the trail blazed by Jean-Denis.