France · Rhône Valley

le Clos du Caillou

Le Clos du Caillou is a Chateauneuf-du-Pape estate located on the plateau north of the appellation in the Courthezon section, an area prized for its galets roulés (rolled stones) and sandy-clay soils that produce wines of particular elegance and aromatic complexity. The domaine has been in the Vacheron family since the early 20th century and came to prominence under Bruno Gaspard, who took over winemaking in the 1990s and built the estate's reputation for precision and restraint unusual in the Southern Rhone context. Les Quartz — the estate's top white wine — is produced from very old Clairette and Roussanne vines and has become one of the most sought-after Chateauneuf blancs at auction. La Reserve and La Reserve Rouge are the principal red cuvées, blending Grenache with Syrah and Mourvedre, with Les Safres offering a different textural register from sandy soil parcels. Across 261 lots averaging $121 per bottle with a ceiling of $400, le Clos du Caillou occupies the upper mid-tier of Chateauneuf auction pricing. The domaine's consistent critical acclaim — regularly earning 90–96 points — supports a stable secondary market. The $10 price floor indicates basic Cotes du Rhone or entry-level bottlings, while the $400 ceiling reflects sought-after blanc bottlings in magnum.