Jude

9.0

Grass, grapefruit pith, fresh herbs, unripe stone fruit. Tart and refreshing, excellent price point. — 6 years ago

Kaito Kikuchi

9.1

Fruity and pure — 6 years ago

Ted Corvey

9.0

Really nice QPR kitchen sink claret blend. Easy drinking but not simple. At the price point, could easily be a staple week night red. — 7 years ago

.

9.0

A blend of cab, merlot, and petit verdot. Nice touch of bay leaf on the nose, complementing the fruit. This is definitely in its drinking window, as the tannins are well integrated at this point and the mouthfeel is very smooth. Nothing about it really says Italy, but it’s tasty nonetheless. — 7 years ago

Jon Tringale

8.9

Deepburgendy color. Musty with citrus notes on the nose, followed by dark fruit on the mid taste and chocolate on the finish. Solid for the price point. — 7 years ago

Nico J. Snyman

9.6

Tried the '90 recently, spoke of how amazing a producer of Californian Cabernet it is, but just needed a little more time, this '85 is well & truly on point, everything is in balance, there's fruit intensity yes, but the development/complexity/layers are really shining through, outstanding stuff. — 8 years ago

Ken Swegles

9.2

Very on point — 8 years ago

Paul T HB

9.4

Smoked silver,
Taste like Mescal, so might as well buy Mescal, but tasty & gets to the point a little faster than wine, — 9 years ago

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This is an insiders wine. You have study, focus and taste a lot wine to know how special this wine can drink. Especially, at its QPR.

There are a lot of people that covet SQN, Caycuse, Horsepower and No Girls. For my palate, these wines either burn the palate with ABV or choke off the fruit with way too much bacon fat and or deeply marinaded grilled meats. Yes, you are drinking expensive, flashy producers but, I would humbly disagree they are better wines than this 2011 Le Clos Du Caillou Vielles Vignes Cuvée Unique. Those other wines should aspire to be everything this 2011 shows and delivers.

This Le Clos Du Caillou has the balance the above wines lack and at a fraction of the price point. I would drink this 2011 over any of the other fore mentioned wines. While this Le Clos Du Caillou is a shade hot, it is not nearly as hot as SQN etc.. Hot ABV alcohol that burns the palate & back of the throat will forever be a fatal flaw in a wine.

The nose reveals, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, blue & purple fruit mix, poached & back strawberries, black raspberries and both plums. Dark, sweet tarriness, dry, crushed rocks, steeped teas, anise stretching to black licorice, hint of dry herbs with bay leaf leading the way, dry brush, black, dry earth, savory, grilled meats, medium, dark spice, understated baking spices; clove, nutmeg, vanilla and a touch of clove, dark & mid red fruit cola, just a whiff of incense with candied, fresh and withering red & dark florals.

The body is rich and mid full. Tannins just 50% resolved with round, dark tarry teethiness. The structure, tension, length and balance are harmonious...just before their peak. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, blue & purple fruit mix, raspberries that haut the center palate on the long set, poached & back strawberries, black raspberries and both plums. Dark, sweet tarriness, dry, crushed rocks, limestone minerals, steeped teas, anise stretching to black licorice, hint of dry herbs with bay leaf leading the way, dry brush, dry black earth, dry stone wrapped in moist clay, savory, grilled meats, some bacon fat, medium, dark spice, understated baking spices; clove, nutmeg, vanilla and a touch of clove, Mix of caramel & mocha powder, dark & mid red fruit cola, just a whiff of incense with candied, fresh and withering red & dark florals. The acidity is phenomenal. The long, ripe, well balanced & textured, elegant finish is memorable and is persistent for several minutes.

Wine paired perfectly with our marinated Tri-tip.

If you are over paying for the above lesser wines mentioned above, you owe it to yourself to seek out and cellar this wine appropriately.

Photos of; Le Clos Du. Caillou, their barrel room, Owners-Sylvie Vacheron & Bruno Gaspard and one of their vineyards. It’s amazing they can grow anything in that stone soil structure.
— 6 years ago

Jonas Johansson

9.3

Great on a hot day — 7 years ago

Bill Bender

8.9

I believe these are lower in alcohol and I dig the effort at restraint, but there was some dormancy in this bottle. Muted fruit, grainy tight tannin. Herbs and earth predominate now. I think this will improve and blossom but it’s a little one note at this point. — 8 years ago

Ken Swegles

9.3

Underrated gem — 9 years ago

Doug Sayed

9.3

Exceptional Pinot from Arnot-Roberts. Quite young at this point, bit with great presence and definition. Needs time integrate and reach its potential, this wine has fantastic flavors and potential, Can't wait to try in a year or two. — 9 years ago

AJ Gubser

8.9

Piney, resiny notes on the nose. Bit of citrus reminiscent of a creamsicle.

Palate is all about the hops with orange, grapefruit, and pine. Good dose of firm, slightly earthy, resiny bitterness that accentuates the already dry palate.

Bit of a throwback with the old school hop flavors and firm bitterness. Very drinkable with the lighter malt base and high attenuation. Nice stuff. — 6 years ago

Paula Strebig

9.0

Lovey pale gold color with a hint of leaf green. Medium body, Pear and honeysuckle on the nose. Pit fruit, floral notes, & mild juicy acidity with subtle, unidentifiable minerality on the finish. (Grilled rubbed pork chops, cauliflower pearls, w/ truffle & asparagus cream sauce) — 6 years ago

with Tim

Thelma Solange

10

It was on point — 7 years ago

Amanda Thomas

9.4

Absolutely delicious, smooth, juicy dark berry. — 7 years ago

with Tim

Somm David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.0

Nice evolution at this point. Lots of dark cherries, cherries, strawberries, blackberries, good spice, dry crushed rocks, gritty volcanic minerals, chewy leather, tobacco, graphite, dry and fresh florals. Good acidity, just a touch hot, the length, tension, structure and balance is pretty good. Finishes ripe, fresh to slightly dry tannins. — 7 years ago

Doctor No

9.2

Big, dark-fruited with some high tones of red and some white pepper, anise and meat to the point I thought it was cold climate Syrah at first. Over a day it warmed up, gave up some more candied notes. Layered, interesting, still quite firmly backboned. Give this some serious time. BTW no "smoke taint" to speak of — 8 years ago

B

10

2013 Ridge Monte Bello Chardonnay. HB w MnD and J&D B. We drank this after, but in comp to the 2013 Peter Michael Point Rouge Chardonnay and this surprised us as the winner, especially since K and I love the Peter Michael Chardonnay so much. J really preferred this wine so much he was thinking abt stocking some of this wine himself. This wine was creamy and had much more tropical fruit, plus oak. Delicious and we really, really enjoyed this wine! — 9 years ago