The 2023 Cotes du Rhone Le Bouquet des Garrigues is a serious and expressive Côtes du Rhône, bursting with aromas of ripe cherry, raspberry, licorice, garrigue and crushed stone. Medium- to full-bodied, supple and layered, it’s built around a core of vibrant fruit framed by fine, chalky tannins and bright underlying acidity. Sourced from sandy soils adjacent to the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, this cuvée offers a degree of refinement and depth that transcends its classification. It will drink well on release but also reward 5 to 8 years of cellaring.

The Wine Advocate Oct 2025:
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.