Châteauneuf-du-Pape Le Clos du Caillou Les Safres Sylvie Vacheron 2024

A great wine for keeping, this Châteauneuf-du-Pape is produced from old Grenache (95%), Mourvèdre, Vaccarèse and Cinsault vines. They are grown in sand and safre (sandstone/loam) soils and harvested by hand. After destemming, the grapes are fermented in tapered tanks with indigenous yeasts. Sylvie Vacheron then performs pump-overs and devatting throughout the (23-day) maceration, and matures her wines in wooden tuns for 17 months. This organically-certified wine reveals an intense red colour with brick highlights and a bouquet which opens out into a fragrance of black berries, sweet spices and aromatic herbs from the south. The well-structured palate is fresh, revealing roasted, cocoa and fruity aromas. This cuvée has character, and it is a good idea to wait a while before opening it, allowing its tannins to mellow over time.