2001 Le Clos du Caillou Châteauneuf-du-Pape Reserve

An off-the-charts effort that was one of my wines of the trip, the 2001 Chateauneuf du Pape Reserve Le Clos du Caillou is a spectacular effort that doesn’t put a foot wrong. Getting a bevy of incredible, spectacular, and a few other adjectives (i.e. expletives) in the notes, this rock-star-of-a-Chateauneuf boasts off-the-hook notes of blackcurrants, saddle leather, beef blood, pepper, spring flowers and licorice. Possessing full-bodied richness on the palate, with beautiful underlying structure and depth, this incredible effort represents the essence of this fabulous terroir, and is a thrilling drink that I wish every Rhone- lover could have the opportunity to taste.

Saturated, bright ruby-red. Knockout nose of black raspberry, meat, minerals, spices, chicory and espresso. Like liquid silk in the mouth; an incredibly concentrated, nearly confectionery wine, with compelling flavors of blackberry, violet and game. As creamy as a molten Valrhona chocolate cake. The oak component serves to frame and intensify the flavors, enabling this wonderfully thick wine to retain a sappy character. Finishes with intriguing garrigue notes and a repeating espresso element.