Le Sommelier presents a Grand Cru Classé from 2015 in the February 16 Vintages release.
Château Caillou is one of the jewels of Sauternes, ranked 2nd Grand Cru Classé in the official classification of Bordeaux wines of 1855. Family owned from the beginning, Château Caillou passed from the Sarraute family to the Ballan family in 1909, and today is overseen by the third generation, Marie Josée Pierre, a direct descendant of the Ballan family.
Caillou, meaning rock, refers to the unusual subsoils of large rock and boulders that fill the property, basing the gravel, clay and limestone soils of the 18 hectare estate. The vineyards, planted on the peak of a slope, are 90% Semillon and 10% Sauvignon Blanc, with vines nearing 40 years of age, and planted to a vine density of 5,500 vines per hectare.
Their location in Haut-Barsac affords them the perfect conditions for noble rot, which they achieve consistently on their Semillon, and which allows them to make such finessed and age-worthy sweet wines. After several passes through the vineyard and pneumatic pressing, vinification takes place in a combination of stainless steel tanks and French oak barrels. The wine is aged in 60% new French oak barrels for 24-30 months prior to release.
We’re proud to represent this historic property and bring you a classic wine you can enjoy now, and decades from now.
Sincerely,
Le Sommelier
416.603.7026
bernard@lesommelier.com
Facebook | Instagram | Twitter | YouTube | Tumblr | Flickr | LinkedIn
Château Caillou Sauternes Grand Cru Classée 2015
This great wine from Château Caillou is harvested from berries affected by noble rot. It is characterized by its great smoothness of aromas and its controlled wealth, balanced by a beautiful acidity characteristic of the limestone soils of Barsac. Aged in barrels between 24 and 36 months, its aging potential is twenty years or more.
Review for the 2014 vintage:
”From a Barsac-based producer who prefers to use the Sauternes appellation, this rich, intense wine has weight, opulence and layers of honey and botrytis flavors. While still young, it shows impressive apricot and liquorous flavors. Drink from 2022.”
Score: 94 points
(Roger Voss, Wine Enthusiast, December 31, 2017)
Varieties: Semillon, Sauvignon Blanc
Region: Sauternes AOC, France
Price: $37.95 (per 375mL bottle)
LCBO#: 636241
Le Sommelier is a Good Food Fighter. Please support the businesses and organizations that support Good Food Revolution.
