TN: 1990 André Brunel Châteauneuf du Pape Les Cailloux

This bottle carries the “Reflets” neck label, which IIRC means it was a late release. From a French cellar, it’s showing beautifully, offering up complex aromas of earthy blackberries, ripe cherries, smoked meats, lavender and garrigue. On the palate, the wine is full-bodied, rich and enveloping, with lively acids for the vintage, powdery and largely melted tannins, and a long, pungently carnal finish. This is powerful and obviously ripe but beautifully balanced, and it has aged gracefully. At peak now.

I don’t know what Selections Reflets refers to, but it is on all their CdPs ( or at least used to be) as well as on the neck labels of other wines (Clos du Mont Olivet for example). It doesn’t mean the wine is a late release since it is on their new releases. Or was: I stopped buying the Les Cailloux years ago. The 1990 was indeed a great wine.

Nice to see this note. Drank all mine probably 20 years ago. The same vintage Cuvee Centennaire was flat out fantastic for a long time. Been a while since I had one of those as well but it was best for my tastes at under 20 years old.

William,

Being a Rhone Valley addict, adore this wine. Since release, it has ALWAYS performed beautifully, especially now. Looked at wine searcher, appears it is extremely rare, and pricey.

Here is Bob’s latest review:

LES CAILLOUX

Ownership-434 Acres
Average age of vines, sixty years
Chateauneuf du Pape, France

Andre Brunel, who resembles the movie actor William Hurt, must be in his early fifties, but he looks ten years younger. He has always been one of the more serious producers in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, and I am thrilled to write that the quality at Les Cailloux has risen higher and higher. From his fifty two acre estate, Andre Brunel produces powerful yet rich, elegant, concentrated wines that have gone from strength to strength since the late eighties. His vineyards are morsellated, but a large segment is planted near Mont Redon, on the famed galets roules. Brunel, who took over from his father in the early seventies, comes from a family that has lived in Chateauneuf du Pape since the eighteenth century. Brunel has never been content to rest on his on his accomplishments, always challenging the old ways while examining and questioning new winemaking methods. In 1989 Brunel launched a limited production wine, “Cuvee Centenaire”, made from a 5.6 acre parcel of vines planted in 1889. This wine is primarily Grenache. The “Cuvee Centenaire”, made in 1989, 1990 and 1995, this is a wine of extraordinary opulence and richness, and although drinkable young, it is capable of lasting for two decades or more. Andre Brunel produces five hundred cases of “Cuvee Centenaire” for the world.

1990-Les Cailloux’s regular cuvee has evolved into a blend of 65% Grenache, 20% Mourvedre, 10% Syrah and 5% miscellaneous varietals aged both in barrel and foudre. The traditional cuvee of 1990 is stunning. Fully mature, it offers up a delicious perfume of Asian spices, cedar, leather, black cherries, plums and prunes. Luscious and viscous, it is a terrific effort. Drink: now to 2010. Last tasted, 1/03. Rating, 95. ERP, E2003. RP

John, recall we had mutual admiration, discussions for this domaine in Denver/Boulder! Hope all is well with you!

I can only confirm that the 2010 was not ready…

I have only ever seen it on old Clos du Mont Olivet bottles, which I thought were at least somewhat late released. And I seem to dimly recall a conversation with Thierry Sabon at that winery which gave me that idea. But my French was not so good back then, and maybe I misunderstood or simply misremembered.

Out of curiosity I checked bottles of 1994 and 1995 Les Cailloux that I’m fairly certain that I bought on original release and the 1994 has the Selection Reflets neck label and the 1995 just has the vintage on a diagonal neck label.

As for the 1990s, I agree that they were tremendous. A friend hosted four tastings over 5 to 6 years of the best Chateauneuf-du-Papes from 1989 and 1990 that included Rayas, the Bonneau cuvées, both regular and Hommage Beaucastels, Marcoux VV, etc., and the 1990 Cailloux Centenaire was always among everyone’s three favorite wines. Also noteworthy was that the 1990 Rayas was corked three of the four years.

The Cave Reflets neck label - as far as I´m concerned - was on all of Andre Brunel-(LEs Cailloux)-bottles until (app.) the mid-nineties. It was the distribution cave where now the Mont Olivets-cave is situated. Several domaines used this Caveau for selling/shipping, also Mont-Olivet then and a few others. I don´t think it is an indication for a late release - just the opposite … a late release now would have the usual Les Cailloux neck label. I have Les Cailloux from the 70ties also with Refelts-labels.

The 1990 (I guess it´s the regular) is indeed a very fine wine and typical CdP … the Cuvée Centenaire is a step up and a really great one, despite the oak it showed in its youth, it´s fully integrated.

Ah, yes, I should have remembered that Caveau. They sold a number of CdPs (including les Cailloux and Clos du Mont Olivet) and all had those neck labels. It existed until at least the early 2000s. I don’t know the status of the association, but it was some kind of association.

Yes, association LES REFLETS - but I think Les Cailloux left earlier than 2000.

That is a blast from the past. I remember the 1990 CC at about age 15 as being awesome too…

  • and at age 24 (my last time I had it).

Ah, that makes sense! Thank you.