The harvest 2020 has just begun, one week in advance in comparison to last year, one month in advance if we compare with 15 years ago. The vintage seems to be a really great vintage. Quality and quantity are there. Color, tanins, concentration are truly present. The team in the vines and in the cellar is super excited...
The record is truly positive : quality of the grapes is impeccable and after the small volumes of 2017 and 2018, the quantity of 2019 is pretty good. So we are more than happy ;-) Now it’s time for the vinification work : Must pressing, winding and shedding to extract aromas, color and tanins Must density...
We have already harvested our roussanne and our syrah in Châteauneuf du Pape. Until now, everything goes perfectly. The quality of the grapes is perfect and the balance between tanins, color and acidity is optimum. These results come from hard work during all the season to cope with a very warm and dry weather...
"Although a powerful wine, it's more about elegance than sheer brawn" Unlike many luxury cuvées, L es Cailloux's 2015 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Centenaire is not simply an example of taking the best fruit from the estate and throwing new oak at it. It is from the estate's oldest Grenache vines, with a small dose...
Beginning of the harvest 2017 with the roussanne in Châteauneuf du Pape ! Vintage 2017 seems to be a great vintage even if the quantities shouldn't be here. The answer in four weeks. Anyway, it's quite warm outside ;-)
Super article sur le réchauffement climatique et le vin: http://www.timatkin.com/articles?1770 #chateauneufdupape #globalwarming #rhonewines
Last week I had a wonderful opportunity to catch up with the amiable Fabrice Brunel of Domaine Les Cailloux in Chateauneuf-du-Pape in the Southern Rhone, to taste his new vintages. The CNDP Cuvee Centenaire 2015 cask sample I tasted was a beautiful, picturesque, snapshot into the final cuvee due to be released in...
Pour tous les passionnés de vin qui seront présents au Grand Tasting Bettane et Desseauve le week end prochain, nous serons au stand 74 N'hésitez pas à nous rendre visite ! Nous vous attendons nombreux pour vous faire goûter nos derniers millésimes
Retrouvez-nous le week-end prochain (26 et 27 Novembre) au gymnase du Mourion, avenue des Cévennes à Villeneuve lez Avignon pour le salon des vins et des gourmets organisé par le Lions Club Au menu, dégustation de vin, de fromage, de foie gras et bien plus encore Pour vous restaurer, traiteur et...
Rasteau 2009 from André Brunel - A terrific value
Vente privée du 26 Avril au 10 Mai sur le site du Carré des Vins. Très beau site et très belle présentation du Domaine ! N'hésitez pas à aller y jeter un coup d'oeil : les dernières centenaires 2007 disponibles y sont à la vente : accès à la vente Ci-dessous la...
"Purely sourced from Vivino's community of more than 13 million wine drinkers, Vivino's Wine Style Awards recognize the very best - and favorite - wines from regions around the globe. This is an honor you share with less than one percent of the 100.000 wineries on Vivino and I am honored to present you a personalized...
Notre Domaine a rejoint fin 2015 une start up dédiée à l’achat de vin sur Internet, les Grappes (www.lesgrappes.com) Le concept est novateur : les internautes intéressés par un vin peuvent poser directement des questions au producteur. Cet échange permet pour le consommateur de...
The great advantage of having mild winters is that it’s easier to work outside for pruning, planting posts, straightening vine stocks, grinding … all done more willingly when the weather is nice! But for the rest it’s not ideal. Parasites, mushrooms and viruses have spent the winter under warm...
Compared to tillage or chemical weeding, grass covering remains the best way of obtaining topsoil, meaning with strong biological activity (from micro-organisms to worms). Its main advantage is it increases the soil bearing capacity (therefore the possibility of returning to the vineyards quicker after rain), to avoid...
The major challenge that wine-making must face is the increase of alcohol content. Producing a wine under 14° is already difficult in the Rhone Valley and if the warming continues at this rate then wines will be produced at 15° or even more. However the adaptation level will be different depending on if the...
The 2015 weather conditions have been nearly impeccable for now – warm and dry to help the grapes ripen better and keeping them in a most healthy state, rain in sufficient quantities to maintain good hydration of the vines and preventing any drying out. It must be said that 2015 has really gotten off to a most...
For some years the horse has made a remarkable come-back on wine estates. Users are nevertheless either accused of being crazy or nostalgic or accused of using them for communication purposes. What is really all about ? It’s true that on medium-sized estates (over 20 hectares) and on low value-added plots, a...
Bag-in-Box sales has been on a steady upward trend for several years in France and just like bottles, they are subject to an increasing request on behalf of consumers to reduce their sulphite content. Sulphites are mainly used as antibacterial and antioxidant properties and are therefore essential to maintain a long...
Two methods mainly exist today to fight against vineyard diseases: Using chemical products to eradicate the pathogen (mushroom, larva, butterfly, etc…) Using various growing methods allowing vines to fight more efficiently against these external attacks: ground covers, crushing of vine shoots, etc ... which...
"A very nice Châteauneuf du Pape with aromas of liquorice, black berries, chocolate. Chewy in texture, nice backbone, very appealling. Keep some bottles away and drink some now. Enjoy !". For the full video : www.wineexpress.com
"With 22 ha in Chateauneuf du Pape and 11ha in Cotes du Rhone, winemaker Andre Brunel makes wines from grapes grown on his estate, as well as those in neighbouring vineyards that he tends. The Cotes du Rhone Domaine Sommelongue 2012 consists of 85% Grenache and a splash of Cinsault, Mouvedre and Syrah, all taken from...
In wine-making, pruning is an essential phase as the yield and quality of the next harvest is wholly-dependant. It’s also one of the most laborious steps as it’s done during the winter when the wines are dormant. The pruning principle is easy, you have to “shorten” and “assemble”,...
In 10 years, the average yield of the Côtes du Rhône has decreased by nearly 10 hl/ha (which corresponds to a volume decrease of nearly 25% between 2004 and 2014) . This decrease - mainly caused by global warming and by certain choices taken by the winemakers – undermines numerous farms. In order to...
From Sweddish Journalist, Tom Pavan . Find all his articles on his blog The day before BraVins Assortment tasting, they arranged a tasting with Fabrice Brunel from Les Cailloux (Lucien et André Brunel). Fabrice, son of André Brunel, turned out to be a really charming guy with a lot to tell. As a small...
Being a weather-dependent activity, wine-growing is particularly impacted by global warming . We notice harvesting is carried out two to three weeks earlier compared to the last century, violent climate-related incidents (frost, hail, coulure*, drought …) are multiplying and increasingly disturbing the work of...
Et voilà ! C'est parti pour les vendanges 2014 ;-) Ce matin, nous avons ramassé les roussannes pour le Châteauneuf du Pape blanc et jeudi - vendredi, nous attaquons les syrahs, un peu plus précoces que les grenaches. Plus qu'à espérer trois semaines de beau temps !!
Pour l'instant le millésime 2014 en Châteauneuf du Pape s'annonce bien. Contrairement aux deux précédents millésimes, les vignes sont chargées en raisin. Ce qui devrait au minimum permettre d'utiliser les pleines capacités de nos caves. L'hiver s'est montré relativement...
The ISV (Institute of Vine and Wine Sciences) just published the results of a study regarding over 200 wines vinified in 2012 and whose objective was to measure the genetic variety of yeasts used. As a reminder, yeasts are the micro-organisms in charge of alcoholic fermentation of wine by transforming the sugar into...
Wine-growing today has adopted an overall approach to reduce plant-protectant products – most plots which at one time were sprayed with weed-killer have decreased to around 15% in 7 years! One of the most-used strategies to accelerate this decrease is the implementation of a natural ground cover called...
Compared to 2013 with relatively difficult weather conditions (rain and cold in May, hot and dry in the summer), 2014 is looking much better: the phreatic surfaces were sufficiently filled this past winter thanks to abundant rainfalls and March and April were relatively dry preventing the presence of diseases (downy...
MisterNordin, sweddish blogguer, gives its impression among 1998 and 2006 Cailloux vintages. Follow the link
Yes!!! Just think about Sauternes which can be kept for fifty years or even more or Jura wine where some bottles which are over a century-old, still have a remarkable freshness when opened. Red wines are said to age well, apparently due to their tannins which provide the required structure. Being that white wines have...
The first rule to always remember when looking to pair a wine with a dish is … to make your guests happy !! For example, if one of them don’t like very sweet wines – the classic association with foie gras - it’s better to serve a slightly smooth white wine. The second rule is to trust …...
Wine Advocate tasted again the Cailloux 2011 and gives 94 points !! "While there was no Cuvee Centenaire produced, Brunel’s 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape is certainly one of the stars of the vintage. A blend of 70% Grenache, 17% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and 3% Cinsault, with the Syrah aged in older barrel and everything...
Whenever you feel like it ;-) The major function of a wine is to be drunk, not to be stored for dozens of years on a shelf until it becomes basically … undrinkable. It is however true that wine evolves with age and there is a rather large time scale for when it’s “at its finest”. Just one...
Le Sénat a reconnu aujourd'hui que le vin "fait partie du patrimoine" de la France. Enfin !!. Suite de l'article ici
Interesting and precise paper on the tasting of four estates in Châteauneuf du Pape : Clos du Mont Olivet, Clos du Caillou, Domaine Jean Royer et Les Cailloux : Châteauneuf du Pape - En hommage à leurs pères
This week-end takes place the fifth edition of the Châteauneuf du Pape Wine fair : more than 85 estates will present their latest vintage. The estate will be booth A13 Hope to see you ! For more information : Winefair Website
Interesting article among the Centenaire 2003 by a journalist met in Washington DC. For more information : www.hogsheadwine.com
Here a link to an article of 303 magazine written during a fine wine tasting in The city of Boulder last week For more information : 303 magazine
Vines growing on wire, or trellising, is common practice all over France. There are numerous advantages to trellising: It helps the leaves be exposed to the sun. Photosynthesis is more active which promotes a higher concentration of sugar, For the “lazy” grape varieties like Syrah (whose shoots flop down,...
The term “green harvesting” defines all the operations regarding growing vines. More simply between the end of winter and the harvesting. It’s notably used to allow grapes to mature well, to control the yield and to reduce the risk of rot spreading. Particularly noticeable are: Work on the leaves,...
What is most often referred to under the barbaric name of “sulphite” designates the sulphur dioxide or SO2 . This is produced naturally by alcoholic fermentation (transformation of sugar into alcohol by the yeasts) to about 10 to 30 mg/l, a “normal” wine containing about 40 to 60 mg/l when...
Okay, it’s done: the Domaine’s white Châteauneuf-du-Pape wine for 2013 is bottled! The procedure was resolutely respected: wake-up at 5 in the morning to prepare the machine, wine-tasting at 6:30 while listening to the neighbour’s cockerel singing away and then bottling until 4pm. And it all...
Grass covering must be undertaken with precision to avoid too much competition with the vines and therefore overly-diminishing the harvest. There are several options open for wine-makers depending on the objectives sought-after: the surface area wanted in the rows: solely in the middle of the rows (meaning between...
As for my trip to Denmark, I was lucky enough to lead a guided vertical tasting session of the Centenary cuvée along with some experienced connoisseurs. In fact it was a great opportunity for me to taste old wines years going back to 1998 or 1990 which my father has jealously kept locked away up until now....
In more recent years, when passing through wine-growing regions, you’ve undoubtedly noticed that more and more vineyards seem to be invaded by grass. This is not synonymous with abandoned vineyards – on the contrary! This practice is being more frequently undertaken by wine-growers endeavouring to produce...
Knowing if a wine should be decanted, and if so, for how long, is a question which we’ve all asked ourselves at least once during our life-time. Below you’ll find some possible answers. The decanting process (or decanting) of wine is used to prevent guests receiving deposit from the bottle bottom, in their...
An unforgettable moment tasting several bottles of Centenaires 2010 and Centenaires 1998!! Our partner, IdealWine, invited many wine connoisseurs and it was great talking with them about the differences between these two vintages. The 2010, more powerful and with an almost immediate expression, easily won-over...
The PGI wines (Protected Geographical Indication) are often associated with low-end range wines having the characteristics of being smooth and easy to drink. This stems mainly from an Appellation Specifications Book which is more flexible than for the AOP (notably in regards to yield) and from Domaines owning AOP/AOC...
This vintage will undoubtedly be remembered for its exceptionally late harvest date. We did indeed end up harvesting about 3 weeks later than in 2012 (end of September for the reds), which corresponded more to the production years during the mid 1970’s … But late harvesting doesn’t mean lower quality...
Devatting is a little-known step in the vinification process which is nevertheless an essential one. It consists of clearing the vat of skins, stems, seeds... stuck at the bottom of the tank after having removed the juice issued from the fermentation and maceration phases . The skins are then put into the presses and...
BIB (for Bag In Box) is only moderately successful in France as it’s associated with an image of low-end wine, but it has a rapidly growing sector outside France. Impressed by its preservation qualities once open or for its practical aspect for carrying, it’s already monopolizing sales in countries like...
Preparation time : 5 minutes Cooking time: 15 minutes Ingredients (for 4 people): 8 eggs 1 can of truffles 100 g of fine butter 4 soup spoons of thick double cream salt and freshly ground pepper Preparation : Cut the truffle into small bits. Melt the butter in a pan and put in the truffle bits to cook. Break the eggs...
The major defects, as described by screw-top critics, are mainly its lack of visual aesthetic (making a bottle of wine resemble a common bottle of hard liquor) and absence of the uncorking noise, synonymous of a certain upcoming pleasure. There are, however, many advantages : no more risk of having a corked wine taste...
Ingredients 6 Bresse chicken thighs 1 garlic clove 150g of Button mushrooms 1 soup spoon of butter 1 soup spoon of olive oil 10 cl poultry stock 50 cl double cream 1 egg yolk Preparation Debone the thighs and cut them into pieces Peel and crush the garlic Wash the mushrooms and cut them in two Put the mushrooms, the...
Ah … harvest time, this poetic moment where the wine-maker carefully cuts each grape bunch, looking at it fondly before bringing it the cellar and changing it into elegant nectar… Now let me stop you right there: first off, harvest time means getting up at 5:30 in the morning to start cutting the grapes at...
Okay, here we are! This is one of the reasons that pushed me to leave Paris – a genuine tasting session. And not just any old tasting session as today we’re going to produce wines from the 2011 vintage year which will be bottled soon. Over forty samples are spread out successively on the table, each coming...
We were faced with a particularly cold springtime this year. According to the French weather forecast, it was the coldest spring since 1987 and one of the rainiest since 1959. In our region, these abundant and frequent rainfalls made the phreatic water level rise significantly, which contributed to quick growth in the...
Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s history is closely linked to the history of those who made this Vaucluse village an internationally recognized wine-growing area. French men and men of God have always been wine-lovers. When their headquarters were set-up in Avignon between 1300 and 1400, the Popes were relentless...
Ingredients 300 g of ground beef 1 coffee spoon of ginger in small bits 2 coffee spoons of ground coriander 2 soup spoons of green peas 2 finely chopped garlic cloves 1 large minced onion 1 coffee spoon of curry powder Salt and pepper 1 coffee spoon of oil 50 g melted butter Sheet of dough Preparation Brown the onions...
The appellation area went from 300 hectares in the 13th century to over 600 in 1800, before losing 400 during the great phylloxera epidemic at the end of the 19th century. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape vineyard owners were able to resist better than others to this phylloxera crises due to the diversity of their grape...
In addition to the favourable environmental conditions, Châteauneuf-du-Pape boasts a certain number of intelligent people with unsurpassed know-how. Over the centuries, the standard usage of thirteen different grape varieties have produced an aromatic balance confirmed by connoisseurs. There are eight red...
Where you understand what it’s like working on a production line Bottling isn’t a difficult exercise in itself. Its success depends on two major aspects: irreproachable hygiene and good initial management of the dry matter: (cardboard, cork, label, cap, etc …). For the hygiene aspect, steam...
Upmost respect for the appellation and profound winemakers’ passion make Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines complex, powerful and balanced. The red are rich and develop a large range of fragrances: fresh fruits, blackcurrants, blackberries, spices, roasted coffee and leather. In the mouth these wines boast a...
In general, red Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines unveil red fruit aromas of strawberry and raspberry, but also touches of leather, anise, liquorice and spices, typical silky tannins for Grenache. So it’s only natural that these powerful wines from this appellation with its fruity touches pair perfectly with...
The Brunel family settled in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape region during the 18th century. The Domaine’s name comes from the typical round pebbles found on this terroir, and have become part of the family tradition. The Domaine was created by Lucien Brunel, who inherited this wine-making land in 1954, but...
The Domaine boasts 20 hectares of vineyards, mostly with Grenache vines which have the average age of about 60 years old. Certain hundred-year-old vines, located on the Farguerol plain to the north of the appellation area are notably intended to make 3000 bottles of the prestigious Cuvée Centenaire of the Domaine...
Ingredients 4 slices of Châteaubriand 1 leek, 1 carrot 1 bag of morel mushrooms 50g of butter 1 glass of dry white wine 2 spoons of double cream salt, pepper Preparing the recipe Put the dried morels in a bowl with warm water (for at least 1 hours). Finely chop the white part of the leek and cut up the carrot in...
The Domaine Les Cailloux wines are visible in renowned French fine dining establishments, accompanying delicious delicacies concocted by illustrious French chefs. The Chef Alain Ducasse has chosen them for his two spectacular restaurants, the Jules Verne located on the 2nd floor of the Eiffel Tower and the Plazza...
The Domaine Les Cailloux Crus are authentic wines, proudly reflecting their terroir. They boast the modesty of great wines and pair just as well with refined dishes as with traditional ones. Being a direct connoisseur, Alain Ducasse has placed them on his wine list at his Brasserie Aux Lyonnais, Rue Saint Marc in...
Grape Festival The veraison is a decisive step for grape ripening, the time when the seed grows and turns from green to red and when the fruit aromas awake. This change usually occurs at the beginning of August for the Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and is a process which last for about two weeks. It coincides with the...
Châteauneuf-du-Pape’s history is closely linked to the history of those who made this Vaucluse village an internationally recognized wine-growing area. French men and men of God have always been wine-lovers. When their headquarters were set-up in Avignon between 1300 and 1400, the Popes were relentless...
Despite all the little bothers and surprises I’ve written about in the above posts, there was one moment which has stood out in my mind – one of sheer happiness: my first drive to work. No more underground, no more being pushed around at the Saint Lazare exit, no sounds of buses, scooters, jackhammers,...
Planting the stakes consists of … planting the stakes. This is a necessary job to mark-off the rows (for example to show the tractor driver where to plough) and help the vine grow in the right direction by providing a sort of “guide”. In our region, we always plant stakes facing north to protect...
