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Intense garnet in colour. Exuberant nose of black fruits, wild herbs and graphite. Medium to full-bodied on the palate, the sweet ripe fruit is beautifully balanced by a lovely minerality that is derived from the limestone soils. The tannins are finely grained and the finish is excellent. Best enjoyed after 4 years and can drunk up to 10 years from the vintage date.
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Domaine Clos des Cazaux has been growing wine for five generations and is based on two families, the Vaches and the Archimbauds. The domaine is now run by two brothers, Jean-Michel and Frédéric Vache.
Their ancestor, Gabriel Archimbaud was the first to bottle wine in Vacqueyras. Gabriel participated in establishment of the Côtes du Rhône appellation in 1936. Gabriel was also a friend of Jean-Louis Chave (famous for his iconic Hermitage reds from Syrah in the Norther Rhône) and Gabriel looked to find best place to plant syrah on his property. He opted for the more clay-dominated soils that were less hot than the sand or marne. Before World War Two the domaine was a mixed farm and also grew asparagus, apricots, cherries.
Gabriel created Le Clos des Cazaux in 1936 with 20ha around the farm (le Clos). Gabriel’s sons, Maurice & Jean purchased 40ha wood and 3 ha vines in Gigondas on the south-facing side of the Dentelles in 1954. Today the domaine cultivates 48 ha (122 acres), of which 24 ha are in Vacqueyras, 20 ha are in Gigondas and 4 ha are in Côtes du Rhône.
The majority of the Vacqueyras vines are situated on slopes around the domaine. This is in contrast to the mainly flat vineyards of the rest of the Vacqueyras appellation. In addition, the sandy clay soils allows for the production of very fresh white wines. Indeed, Clos des Cazaux was one of a handful of producers to pioneer the cultivation of the Clairette grape in the appellation and is now one of the largest producers of white wine in Vacqueyras. The “Clefs d’Or” cuvée is wonderfully fresh and ideal as an aperitif or with light fish dishes. The Vieilles Vignes Vacqueyras cuvée, aged in oak, is a stunning, gourmet white wine which can age many years. The two Vacqueyras red wines are fermented in stainless steel and aged in concrete with no use of oak. The “St Roch” cuvée is a classic grenache-dominated wine boasting wonderful red fruits aromas with a tannic structure that demands provencal food. The “Templiers” cuvée is more orientated towards Syrah with greater tannin, though still silky, even in its youth. The Gigondas terroir is located on the small section of the appellation that is south facing which brings riper, bigger fruit than is generally found in the other wines of the appellation. Cazaux’s Gigondas soils are very high in limestone content which underpin a great mineral edge to their two cuvées. The Prestige cuvée made from old vines is partially aged in oak which provides additional complexity without over-powering the expression of terroir in the wine.
Jeb Dunnuck (JD)
2017 vintage (92 points): The Gigondas La Tour Sarrasine always seems to be a winner and the 2017 is no exception. With a big, meaty, peppery nose that has ample cedary spice and sweet red and black fruits, it’s medium to full-bodied, has a wonderful sweetness of fruit, ripe tannins, and terrific balance. It’s rock solid and will shine of upwards of a decade. The blend is 70% Grenache, 15% Mourvèdre, and 15% Syrah, aged two years in concrete and stainless steel.
Wine Enthusiast (WE)
2017 vintage (91 points): Smoky tones on the nose dissipate with aeration revealing brighter notes of ripe, zesty black berry and wild mint. Full bodied and rich on the palate, this Grenache-dominant blend offers punchy black-cherry flavor edged by a sizzle of sweet spice. At peak from 2021 through 2027, the wine can hold further.