Le Clos du Caillou ‘Les Safres’ Rouge Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020

Châteauneuf-du-Pape is one of the true treasures of all French wines and has been imbibed by kings and popes since the Middle Ages. Winemaker Bruno Gaspard’s family founded le Clos du Caillou, one of the leading estates of the Southern Rhone, back in 1956. The medieval, walled vineyard is composed primarily of older-vine Grenache that is lovingly farmed biodynamically by Bruno and are certified organic. Each wine too, reflects the native perfumes of the south, the “garrigue” blend of thyme, rosemary, and lavender that grows wild among the estate’s vines.

95% Grenache and 5% Mourvèdre, the estate’s silkiest, most suave Châteauneuf-du-Pape, ‘Safres’ refers to the wine’s terroir of compacted sand, which in the wine translates as a supple texture and smooth tannins. This wine entices with aromas of ripe summer berries, wild strawberry, blueberry, licorice, and blond tobacco. Ripe and smooth, fine-grained tannins; flavors of black currant jam, fresh red plums.