2016 Le Clos du Caillou Chateauneuf du Pape Les Safres 750 ml

A Rhône Collector Châteauneuf Knockout

The critics came out of the woodwork for the 2016 Le Clos du Caillou “Les Safres,” showering this velvety, supple Châteauneuf-du-Pape with praise. “Ripe, textured, and incredibly sexy, yet with building tannin...it's going to just sing on release, yet keep for 15+ years of more,” raves Jeb Dunnuck in a 93-96-point review. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate echoed with 93-95 points, falling hard for the “crisply defined cherry fruit, a richly tannic mid-palate and a long, focused, velvety finish.” The hot, low-yield 2016 Southern Rhône vintage literally flirted with perfection, earning a 96-99 rating from Wine Spectator and yielding reds that combine bursting fruit profiles with classic elegance. Drawn from 60-70 year-old vines, this is one for the Rhône collectors among you. 240 bottles.

“Les Safres” is named for the compacted sand that characterizes the terroir of the Les Bedines vineyard—just a mile from the legendary fields of Château Rayas—imparting silky delicacy to this benchmark old-vine Grenache.

The property, which dates back to 1895, was not originally valued for its well-draining sandy soils but for its surrounding forests, back when the estate operated as a hunting lodge. The transformation into one of Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s greatest domaines began in 1955 when Claude Pouizin acquired the land, recognizing its superb vinicultural potential, and planted vines. In 1995, Claude passed operations onto his youngest daughter Sylvie and her husband Jean-Denis Vacheron, whose family is Sancerre’s most famous and respected winemaking clan. Tragically, Vacheron lost his life in a car accident, but Sylvie carried on his brilliant legacy at Clos du Caillou with the help of winemaker Bruno Gaspard and visionary consultant Philippe Cambie, previously named Oenologist of the Year by Robert Parker.

2016—described as a “truly rare vintage” by Wine Spectator—left critics grasping for superlatives. Parker’s Wine Advocate conceded: “the hype is justified...these are wines that combine immense power (and sometimes alcohol levels) with elegance...a vintage to buy and cellar.” Rhône authority Jeb Dunnuck declared: “the 2016s shine for their purity, elegance, and balance, while still showing good depth of fruit, awesome purity, and sweet tannin.” Harvesting of the tiny, utterly concentrated grape at Clos du Caillou commenced on September 20th. The resulting wine has proved unforgettable—the toast of the vintage.