Le Clos des Cazaux

Based in Vacqueyras they have 46 ha of vines in total (26 in Vacqueyras, 16 in Gigondas and 4 of Côtes du Rhône), of which 20 surround the ancient Cazaux buildings, which now house the winery and cellars. It is these vines situated in a Clos around the winery from which the domaine takes its name. They were first planted in the 1950s, when the family planted vines on land that was too poor to sustain any other crop. The family were one of the first to bottle and market Vacqueyras wines. Jean-Michel takes control of the vineyard, whilst Frédéric is the winemaker, both are hugely passionate about making great wines in a sustainable and respectful way to the environment. Most of their work in the vineyards is by hand with the aim of keeping their old vines healthy, yields are low. The winemaking is careful and considered, with individual terroirs and grapes being vinified separately, ageing is usually in concrete or stainless steel meaning no filtration is necessary, just a few specific cuvées are aged in oak. Overall, the style is one where ripe, pure fruit shines through, they drink relatively young but have the structure to mature well.