Grapes: A blend of 19 red grapes from the vineyards. Abouriou, Genouillet, Portugais Bleu, Barbera, Nebbiolo, César, Chaudenay, Cabernet franc, Grolleau, Syrah, Gascon, Gamay, Pinot Meunier, Pinot d’Aunis, Pinot Noir, Côt and some experimental hybrid varieties.
Region: VDF
Vintage: 2022
Viticulture: Biodynamic
Soils: Limestone
Vinification: The grapes are hand-harvested, destemmed, and gently pressed.
Aging: Aged for 30 months in old barrels and one year in bottle.
Fining or Filtering: None
Sulfur: None added
Notes from the Importer:
The name Domaine Les Cailloux du Paradis comes from ‘Les Cailloux’ and ‘Le Paradis,’ naming the region of the Loire Valley where the family’s 20 hectares sit. Of their land, only six hectares contain vines, with the rest a rich melange of meadows (including wheat to feed their cows), forest and fruit orchards planted with apple, pear and plum trees. In the vineyards, flint clay soil on ancient limestone bedrock lends itself to strong, resilient and deep-rooted vines — an environment that has allowed Claude Courtois to build a trailblazing domaine that showcases profound diversity.
Beginning his work over 45 years ago with vines in Provence, Claude Courtois is one of the rare pioneers of organic agriculture from the who has been active since the 1970’s. In just the past 25 years he has planted 34 different red and white varieties on his six hectares, including rare grapes and experimental hybrids — with a mind to environmental sustainability amid a changing climate; and to stewardship of genetic lineages that are at risk. Claude regards the soil on his farm as a living organism: no pesticides, herbicides, fungicides, chemical fertilizers, or synthetic chemicals of any kind are allowed on the vines or in the soil of the vineyards.
Claude has passed more and more of the winemaking responsibilities on to his son Etienne, who showed immense promise from the start through wines that burst with new energy while following the patience and restraint of his father’s long-standing successful project — aging, for example, certain cuvées for anywhere from 4 to 10 years. Etienne let us know that he’s recently added amphora and sandstone vessels to the mix alongside to the family’s 30-year-old oak barrels. He has also released several cuvées with minimal aging, and we’re excited by the freshness and higher acidity that these wines bring to the Courtois portfolio!
