Country: | France |
Region: | Rhone |
Winery: | Clos des Cazaux |
Grape Type: | Clairette |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750 ml |
Cazaux Vacqueyras Blanc Vieilles Vignes 50% Clairette, 30% Roussanne and 20% Viognier
The wine has a beautiful golden color.
The aromas are rich and
exotic with mango, almonds, toast, lemon, pineapple white flowers and
papaye. These aromas will develop to honey, butter and pear after ageing
for a few years.
The finish is long, citrusy and toasty.
Terroir: Slopes of sandy soil or grey limestone.
Yield: 25 -30 hl/ha
Age of the vines: 70 years old minimum. The oldest are around 90 years old.
The
grapes are pressed pneumatically after a few hours contact with the
skins.The must is kept at 20°c during the alcoholic fermentation to
optimise the aromas and respect the wine’s suppleness.
Barrel fermented an aged in 228-liter French Oak barrel for 12 months with regular stirrings of the lees.
MaloLactic Fermentation also in barrel.
Enjoy this wine with rich dish, river fish or poultry cooking in creamy sauce. Delicious with a mushroom risotto.
Cazaux Vacqueyras Blanc Les Clefs d'Or is made from 50% Clairette, 30% Roussanne and 20% Grenache Blanc.
A wine with lively acidity, expressive aromas of fennel and white flowers. It is long and full in the mouth with minty and anisy aromas mixed with white peach flavors. Refreshing and mineral character.
Clairette grapes are green harvested to concentrate and harmonize aroma. Each grape varietal is hand picked separately. Pressing with skin contact at low temperature. Aged 12 months in stainless steel tank. (No oak)
Enjoy this wine with all sorts of fish starters, squid salad with olive oil and basil. A must try with fresh oysters.
Review:
Pear-scented, medium- to full-bodied, there's plenty of cut and thrust to the flavors, aided by incisive acidity. Ends long on fresh pear fruit. Well balanced and fresh. Sandy soils, facing southeast. - Matt WALLS ."
- Decanter (October 1st 2022), 92 pts
Cazaux Vacqueyras Blanc Les Clefs d'Or is made from 50% Clairette, 30% Roussanne and 20% Grenache Blanc.
A wine with lively acidity, expressive aromas of fennel and white flowers. It is long and full in the mouth with minty and anisy aromas mixed with white peach flavors. Refreshing and mineral character.
Clairette grapes are green harvested to concentrate and harmonize aroma. Each grape varietal is hand picked separately. Pressing with skin contact at low temperature. Aged 12 months in stainless steel tank. (No oak)
Enjoy this wine with all sorts of fish starters, squid salad with olive oil and basil. A must try with fresh oysters.
Cazaux Vacqueyras Rouge Grenat Noble 100% Grenache.
This wine is the result of extraordinary weather conditions. The first cuvée was produced in 1992 when violent storms and floods affected the region (especially Vaison la Romaine). The following days were radiant and accompanied by Mistral winds. We could then continue to harvest or more precisely harvest what remained of a rotten crop - but a noble rotten crop!
Following our first involuntary test of 1992, we wanted to reproduce this wine but we had to wait until 1995 to isolate the parcels that were capable of producing this noble rot. Unfortunately, the "noble" phenomenon does not occur every year despite late harvests (October 15).
The resulting wine is offers aromas of small red berries (cherries, raspberries), liquorice, fig, honey, fruit brandy and plum. It is elegant, supple and smooth on the palate with a firm, generous and suave structure. A beautiful length on spices and cherry.
This Grenache nectar marries will with dishes such as pan-fried foie gras in honey and fig preserve, leg of lamb with preserved fruits accompanied by local cereal "epautre" or other sweet and sour dishes.
Cazaux Vacqueyras Rouge Cuvee Saint Roch 70% Grenache, 25% Syrah and 5% Mourvedre.
Deep color. Intense and persistent red fruits, such as strawberry and black cherry. Expressive and delicate at the same time. The finish is long and the tannins are quite round and well balanced.
Grapes are hand picked, destemmed 100% but not crushed. About 20 days fermentation according to vintage. Aged in stainless steel tanks for 12 months and an additional 12 months in enamel coated concrete tank. No fining, light filtration.
Enjoy this wine with meat cooked in red wine sauce (such as Boeuf Bourguignon).
Cazaux Vacqueyras Rouge Grenat Noble 100% Grenache.
This wine is the result of extraordinary weather conditions. The first cuvée was produced in 1992 when violent storms and floods affected the region (especially Vaison la Romaine). The following days were radiant and accompanied by Mistral winds. We could then continue to harvest or more precisely harvest what remained of a rotten crop - but a noble rotten crop!
Following our first involuntary test of 1992, we wanted to reproduce this wine but we had to wait until 1995 to isolate the parcels that were capable of producing this noble rot. Unfortunately, the "noble" phenomenon does not occur every year despite late harvests (October 15).
The resulting wine is offers aromas of small red berries (cherries, raspberries), liquorice, fig, honey, fruit brandy and plum. It is elegant, supple and smooth on the palate with a firm, generous and suave structure. A beautiful length on spices and cherry.
This Grenache nectar marries will with dishes such as pan-fried foie gras in honey and fig preserve, leg of lamb with preserved fruits accompanied by local cereal "epautre" or other sweet and sour dishes.
Review:
"Not yet bottled, the 2020 Vacqueyras Grenat Noble should also be outstanding. Based mostly on Grenache, but with a small amount of Mourvèdre, it has a Provençal bouquet of red and black fruits, dried garrigue, toasted nuts, and spice. Rich, medium-bodied, and nicely textured, with a great finish, I'd be thrilled to have a bottle on the dinner table. It will keep through 2032."
- Jeb Dunnuck (March 2023), 91-93 pts
Cazaux Vacqueyras Blanc Vieilles Vignes 50% Clairette, 30% Roussanne and 20% Viognier
The wine has a beautiful golden color.
The aromas are rich and
exotic with mango, almonds, toast, lemon, pineapple white flowers and
papaye. These aromas will develop to honey, butter and pear after ageing
for a few years.
The finish is long, citrusy and toasty.
Terroir: Slopes of sandy soil or grey limestone.
Yield: 25 -30 hl/ha
Age of the vines: 70 years old minimum. The oldest are around 90 years old.
The
grapes are pressed pneumatically after a few hours contact with the
skins.The must is kept at 20°c during the alcoholic fermentation to
optimise the aromas and respect the wine’s suppleness.
Barrel fermented an aged in 228-liter French Oak barrel for 12 months with regular stirrings of the lees.
MaloLactic Fermentation also in barrel.
Enjoy this wine with rich dish, river fish or poultry cooking in creamy sauce. Delicious with a mushroom risotto.
The Domaine Le Clos des Cazaux Estate
The Domaine was founded in 1905 by Gabriel Archimbaud and is now run by Maurice Vache and his two sons Jean-Michel and Frederic. The Archimbaud and Vache families are among the oldest ones in Vacqueyras. The oldest part of the property dates back to the 12th century and belonged to "Les Chevaliers de l'Ordre des Templiers" (the Templar Knights). An ancient Moorish Tower sits on the property, the Tower of Sarrasine in ruins.
The Domaine Le Clos des Cazaux Vineyard
The estate spreads over 40 hectares (98.8 acres) of vineyard land:
- 25 ha in Gigondas. The quality of the soil is outstanding and the sun exposure is optimal due to the special location of the vineyard, surrounded by the rocky massif of the "Dentelles de Montmirail", upon which is built the Sarrasine tower.
- 15 ha in Vacqueyras, on sandy-clayey and sunny slopes.
The vineyards are planted to 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre. The vines are 40-50 year old. The annual production is 8,800 to 10,000 cases. The average yield is 28 hl/ha.
The vines are cultivated with utmost respect to the environment. Only Bordeaux mixture (antifungal agent consisting of a solution of copper sulfate and quicklime) and sulfur is used in the phytosanitary (pertaining to the health of plant) and vineyard treatment. At all times, the vineyards are manually tended, including manual harvest. To ensure optimal quality, only the best grapes are selected during a green harvest in Summer which eliminates at least 20% of the production.
Each grape variety is picked at its optimum maturity and vinified separately. Syrah is usually harvested first, followed by Grenache and then Mourvèdre. The whole clusters are placed into specially equipped bins having a screw in the bottom that allow the grapes to fall into the tanks without any crushing. This near carbonic fermentation period depends on the grape varieties and the conditions. When the fermentation is complete, the varietal wines are blended together (typically in November).
The maturation takes place first in stainless steel tanks for the juice to settle, then in concrete or enamel tanks. The wines mature in the cellars for at least 2 years before bottling. There is no fining, and only a light filtration to limit the natural deposit on the bottle.
Cabrieres Chateauneuf du Pape Rouge L'Esprit is made from 50% Grenache, 15% Syrah, 15% Mourvèdre, 10% Cinsault and 10% remaining: Muscardin, Counoise, Picpoul, Terret noir, Vaccarèse, Clairette, Bourboulenc, Roussanne, Picardan.
The vineyard is situated on the high tablelands, which are characteristic of the northern area of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The terrain consists mainly of alpine diluvium and chalky Miocenian soil, with large flint pebbles covering the surface. These pebbles conserve the heat of the day during the night, thus avoiding too much evaporation.
85-year-old vines. Aged 12 months in French oak. Intense ruby color, with a dominant nose of black fruits (blackcurrant and blackberry) evolving into smoke and grilled notes. Robust tannins on the palate with a long finish.
Pair with choice red meat, prime rib and game, or try with strong cheeses and chocolate dessert.
Xavier Vignon Cotes du Rhone Rouge Vieilles Vignes is made from 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre and 15% Syrah
Grenaches are almost hundred years old, Mourvèdres more than 60 years old and Syrahs are 45 years old in average.
There's a spicy, green peppercorn edge to the Cotes du Rhone Vieilles Vignes. It's medium to full-bodied, with svelte, supple tannins and plenty of plummy fruit that exhibits more savory notes and spice on the long finish.
Review:
"The deep black-cherry and ripe-blackberry fruit, plus the full, soft body push this to the edge of sweetness on the palate. However, the gentle dry tannins at the velvety finish just keep it on track. A style that now seems a bit dated, but plenty of wine drinkers love this. Drink now."
- James Suckling (March 2022), 90 pts
Finca los Cedros Single Vineyard Malbec is made from 100 percent Malbec.
Single vineyard wine from the Finca los Cedros vineyard in Paraje Altamira (3,600 ft. elevation). Planted in high density (8,000 plants per hectare) on calcareous gravel soils, this Malbec has a fresh & easy-drinking style with a mineral character.
Intense purple color. Plum, brambly berries, spices and an iris/violet note are apparent on the nose. Intense, fruity flavors with velvety tannins.
Fermentation with indigenous yeasts. Aged 12 months in oak barrels and concrete vats.
Excellent with roasted meats, duck, salad, pasta, pizza.
Alain Jaume Ventoux Les Gelinottes is made from 50% Grenache and 50% Syrah
The colour is intense, purple-tinged garnet. The aromatic range of the nose goes from fresh berries to black fruit (blackcurrant, blackberry). The palate is full-flavoured, with very soft tannins and aromas of the fruit already mentioned. This is a gorgeous style of wine, fruity driven, for every day drinking...anytime !
Soil types
The wine is produced from hilly vineyards that are mainly planted on sandy and clay soils. They are located on the East side of the Rhone valley, in the Vaucluse area. Welcome to the foothills of the well known “Mont Ventoux” Mountain.
Winemaking and aging
Stainless steel fermentaion at cool temperature to preserve the fruits and typicity. Bottling 8 months after the harvest.
Goes well with quite a lot of food such as Pizza, Pasta, hamburger, mild cheese or even on its own.
Alain Jaume Saint Joseph La Butte d'Or is made from 100 percent Syrah.
The wine comes from vineyards that are sourced from the south of the appellation and located on hillsides that enjoy a east and southeast exposure. On the nose, this wine reveals aromas of pepper and jammy red fruits. In the mouth, it is balanced, ample and intense, offering beautiful tannins on the long lasting finish. A wine of character that can be cellared up to 8 years.
Manual harvest, selection of healthy and ripe grapes. Total destemming. Cold pre-fermentation maceration 5 to 6 days. Aged in oak barrels with 10% new oak.
Review:
"Opaque ruby. Aromas of ripe dark berries, licorice and candied flowers take on a smoky mineral aspect with aeration. Silky, fresh and round on the palate, offering sweet blueberry, cherry and spicecake flavors that open up slowly through the back half. Youthfully firm tannins add grip to a very long, smoke- and spice-tinged finish that strongly echoes the blue fruit and spice notes. (made with de-stemmed fruit and raised in oak barrels, 10% of them new) - Josh Raynolds"
- Antonio Galloni's Vinous (April 2020), 92 pts
Color: Deep Red
Nose : Red fruits (raspberry, black-current) and flowers (violet).
Palate : Full, rich and ample, long finish, nice concentration.
Aging potential : 7 to 9 years
Surface : 22 Ha. Yield : 40 Hl./Ha. Vineyard age : 40 years Terroir : Clay / chalk, clay / limestone and sandy with pebble stones. Harvest : by hand Vinification : 100% destemmed , long 30 days maceration with a maximum of 34°C temperature
Pairs well with red meats, grilled meats, game and cheeses.
Review:
A blend of Grenache, Syrah, and Mourvèdre brought up in tank, the 2019 Côtes Du Rhône La Dame Rousse is a big, rich, powerful Côtes du Rhône loaded with notions of smoked black cherries, licorice, scorched earth, and ample minerality. These all carry to a medium to full-bodied Southern Rhône that has terrific purity of fruit, ripe, present tannins, and a great finish. I love its balance and it’s going to deliver ample pleasure over the coming 4-6 years.
-Jeb Dunnuck 90-92 Points
"For this appellation this is a remarkably restrained and rather elegant red with complex red-fruit, baking-spice and terra-cotta aromas. The self-confidently dry tannins build gently and keep the alcohol well in check until right at the end, when you do feel a touch of warmth. A blend of grenache and syrah. From organically grown grapes. Drink or hold."
- James Suckling (February 2022), 92 pts
Exceptionally aromatic with aromas of violets, hints of blackberry, blackcurrant and black plum on the nose. There is some spice that is balanced with fresh acidity and minerality. A long finish with ripe but firm tannins.
Dow's Senhora da Ribeira can be enjoyed anytime and pairs wonderfully with chocolate desserts and soft cheeses like creamy Stilton or Roquefort.
Review:
Rich and fruity, this wine is packed with intense black-currant flavors. It is perfumed, ripe with a good tannic background. The density of the wine and the firm structure point to a long aging process. Drink this beautifully structured wine from 2026.
-Wine Enthusiast 93 Points
Winemaking:
Senhora da Ribeira has one of the most advanced specialist wineries in the Douro, combining the best of traditional winemaking practice, evolved over centuries, and the latest state-of-the-art automated systems. Three granite ‘lagares’ for foot treading are complemented by three ‘robotic’ lagares, designed by the Symington family and installed in the quinta’s winery in 2001.
It has long been recognised that traditional treading produced some of the finest Ports, but there are some drawbacks involved in traditional treading; temperature control is difficult, there is a limit to how long people are willing to tread and they need to sleep. The winemaker’s options are therefore limited, he or she cannot order treading at different times through the night, or pull people off the picking team at will. Furthermore, emptying the traditional lagar takes a long time; in the meantime the fermentation process is accelerating away. A further handicap arose over recent years, when an increasing scarcity of labour obliged producers to look for less labour-intensive vinification solutions. The Symingtons opted to devise a mechanical means of replicating the proven method of foot treading. The result was the Symington ‘robotic lagar’, an automated treading machine which exactly replicates the gentle action of the human foot and which has revolutionised winemaking in the Douro Valley. This equipment is very expensive but the results have been so good that an increasing proportion of Dow’s finest wines are now made in these automated lagares. Approximately half of the wines for Dow’s much praised 2003 Vintage were vinified in them.
The Senhora da Ribeira’s Quinta Vintage Ports have amassed a highly impressive number of awards: three Gold Medals at the International Wine Challenge, (2008, 2006 and 2001, for the 2005, 2002 and 1999 Vintages, respectively) as well as seven Silver Medals and two Gold Medals at the International Wine & Spirit Competition (London, 2008 for the 2005 Vintage and 2002 for the 1998 Vintage). In September 2006, Jancis Robinson MW wrote, “One very exciting new bottling is Dow’s Quinta da Senhora da Ribeira 2004...this single quinta bottling demonstrates superb quality with wonderful vibrancy. Great wine in any context - not that unlike some California reds! This is definitely a wine to look out for when it is released.”
Wine Profile
The very hot climate through the summer at this vineyard results in highly complex and concentrated wines but very low yields. Colours of the musts in the fermentation tanks are always purple-black due to the very high skin to juice ratio. The old vines add further to the intensity of the wine as they make up a very large percentage of the vineyard. The resulting wine can be described as being the essence of Vintage Port, with powerful wild red-fruit flavours, leading into rich black chocolate notes, the whole balanced by complex, attractive and peppery tannins.
One of the Douro’s most beautiful vineyards, Senhora da Ribeira is located 24km (15 miles) upriver from Quinta do Bomfim in the remote Douro Superior. The vineyard commands a magnificent north bank position, overlooking a broad sweep of the Douro, directly opposite another famous Symington owned vineyard: Quinta do Vesuvio. Senhora de Ribeira was built close to an ancient river crossing, guarded by two 12th century castles on either side of the river built by the Moors during their centuries long occupation of Iberia. A small chapel dedicated to the ‘Lady of the River’ (literally: Senhora da Ribeira) has stood here for centuries and gave the quinta its name. Travellers would pause here to ask for a safe river passage and onward journey.
Senhora da Ribeira’s wines are some of the finest in the Douro and they complement those from Bomfim in the composition of Dow’s classic Vintage Ports. The quinta’s high proportion of old vines (45% are over 25 years old) is of critical importance. The old vines are very low-yielding, producing on average less than 1Kg of grapes each, giving intense and concentrated musts which are ideal for classic Vintage Port. The remainder of the vineyard was replanted as follows: 21% in 2001 and 34% from 2004, the latter involving mainly Touriga Nacional vines. This grape variety - very important for Vintage Port - now represents almost exactly a third of the total planted at the quinta. The entire vineyard has the maximum ‘A’ rating.
As with Bomfim, the consistency of the climate plays a key role, although the rainfall is only half of that experienced at Bomfim: 448mm is the 10 year average. This more extreme climate, hot dry summers and cold, equally dry winters results in wines with unique depth of colour and complexity.
As with Quinta do Bomfim, the best Ports from Senhora de Ribeira are used to make Dow’s Vintage Ports in the great and rare ‘Declared’ years. In the good year’s when Dow’s does not ‘declare’ a Vintage, the best wines of ‘The Lady of the River’ are bottled as Dow’s Quinta de Senhora da Ribeira Vintage Port. They will tend to mature a little earlier than the very rare ‘Declared’ years, but can be every bit as good as some other Vintage Ports.
This is a classic Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon with an opaque purple color and perfumed aromas of blackberry compote, orange blossom, cassis, creme brulee, and cocoa. On the palate the wine is plush and concentrated with well-integrated tannins and a vibrant finish. Lush enough to be consumed now and structured enough to hold for decades thanks to the mountain heritage of this beautiful wine.
Review:
The 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Howell Mountain is an incredible wine, and it flirts with perfection. Full-bodied and concentrated, it has flawless balance and elegance as well as just textbook Howell Mountain notes of blue fruits, cassis, violets, graphite, and background oak. I love its tannins, it has remarkable purity of fruit, and a great, great finish. It has some appeal today yet deserves 4-5 years of bottle age and should have over two decades of longevity.
-Jeb Dunnuck 98+ Points
Winemaker Sean Capiaux has crafted this Howell Mountain staple for more than two decades. In 2019, he's made a knockout! Explosive aromas of ripe, black fruit, wild mountain sage, turned earth and toasty oak. Enveloping on the palate with an intricate mix of black cherry, blackberry and blueberry fruit moving quickly into more savoury notes of crushed stones, cassis, wildflowers. Finishing long and with vibrancy and lift. A powerful core of firm fine-grained tannins are nicely integrated. Great cellar potential.
-Decanter 97 Points