2022 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pâpe ‘La Reserve’

WA98-100 A candidate for perfection, the 2022 Chateauneuf du Pape La Reserve is a blend of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvèdre from sandy parcels in Guigasse and Pignan. Alluring scents of crushed stone, floral elements and almost truffle-like complexities accent black cherries and plums on the nose, while the wine is full-bodied and expansive in the mouth yet manages to do that without seeming heavy or overly rich, and the silky finish is near-endless, reverberating with notes of dark fruit and licorice.
JD97-99 Lastly, the 2022 Châteauneuf Du Pape La Reserve is based on 60% Grenache and 40% Syrah brought up in demi-muids (no amphora). Incredible aromatics of red, blue, and black fruits, savory flowers, leather, and some smoky, meaty notes all define the bouquet, and it hits the palate with a flawless mouthfeel, perfectly integrated tannins, no hard edges, and a great, great finish.
Estate Notes: 60% Grenache, 40% Mourvèdre. From ‘La Guigasse’ and ‘Pignan,’ richly sandy soils. Vines 70 years old, on average. Destemmed; all grapes co-fermented on indigenous yeasts in upright wooden tanks. Aged for 14 months in older cask and barrels. Unfined and unfiltered.