Shay A

9.5

After missing a ‘70s and ‘80s Heitz vertical many years ago, I vowed to seek out a bottle as all the comments from the tasting were astoundingly positive. My last bottle of Heitz Martha’s was the ‘01 (which was great) a few years ago, but at 46yrs, this was quite the experience.

The ‘78 has a bit of a legendary status, so expectations were high. Upon opening, the cork was in good shape (sigh of relief) and the color was unbelievably dark ruby with some bricking (another sigh of relief). The singular signature menthol/eucalyptus began to fill the glass, alongside aromatics of red berry fruits, espresso, some sort of sweet brown sugar/caramel note, and a savory-graphite type note too. Beautifully elegant on the palate with more red fruit, herbs (bay leaf?), and even some pipe tobacco (subdued, not in your face), but it sports the classical old Napa cab profile that is pure. Spectacular wine, and I could simply smell the wine all day…the aromatics were so powerful the entire time.

Open in bottle for three hours and powered through the entire time. Wish I had another so I could have the same experience! — 2 months ago

Ian Hamel

9.1

2020 summer. I remember the few Luigi Pira wines I had in the past as being done but not the the type of thing to seek out. However, this basic bottling is great in 2015 - it has all the classic elements for a very fair price — 4 years ago

David T

Independent Sommelier/Wine Educator

9.3

This is an insiders wine. You have study, focus and taste a lot wine to know how special this wine can drink. Especially, at its QPR.

There are a lot of people that covet SQN, Caycuse, Horsepower and No Girls. For my palate, these wines either burn the palate with ABV or choke off the fruit with way too much bacon fat and or deeply marinaded grilled meats. Yes, you are drinking expensive, flashy producers but, I would humbly disagree they are better wines than this 2011 Le Clos Du Caillou Vielles Vignes Cuvée Unique. Those other wines should aspire to be everything this 2011 shows and delivers.

This Le Clos Du Caillou has the balance the above wines lack and at a fraction of the price point. I would drink this 2011 over any of the other fore mentioned wines. While this Le Clos Du Caillou is a shade hot, it is not nearly as hot as SQN etc.. Hot ABV alcohol that burns the palate & back of the throat will forever be a fatal flaw in a wine.

The nose reveals, ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, blue & purple fruit mix, poached & back strawberries, black raspberries and both plums. Dark, sweet tarriness, dry, crushed rocks, steeped teas, anise stretching to black licorice, hint of dry herbs with bay leaf leading the way, dry brush, black, dry earth, savory, grilled meats, medium, dark spice, understated baking spices; clove, nutmeg, vanilla and a touch of clove, dark & mid red fruit cola, just a whiff of incense with candied, fresh and withering red & dark florals.

The body is rich and mid full. Tannins just 50% resolved with round, dark tarry teethiness. The structure, tension, length and balance are harmonious...just before their peak. Ripe; blackberries, dark cherries, blue & purple fruit mix, raspberries that haut the center palate on the long set, poached & back strawberries, black raspberries and both plums. Dark, sweet tarriness, dry, crushed rocks, limestone minerals, steeped teas, anise stretching to black licorice, hint of dry herbs with bay leaf leading the way, dry brush, dry black earth, dry stone wrapped in moist clay, savory, grilled meats, some bacon fat, medium, dark spice, understated baking spices; clove, nutmeg, vanilla and a touch of clove, Mix of caramel & mocha powder, dark & mid red fruit cola, just a whiff of incense with candied, fresh and withering red & dark florals. The acidity is phenomenal. The long, ripe, well balanced & textured, elegant finish is memorable and is persistent for several minutes.

Wine paired perfectly with our marinated Tri-tip.

If you are over paying for the above lesser wines mentioned above, you owe it to yourself to seek out and cellar this wine appropriately.

Photos of; Le Clos Du. Caillou, their barrel room, Owners-Sylvie Vacheron & Bruno Gaspard and one of their vineyards. It’s amazing they can grow anything in that stone soil structure.
— 5 years ago

Brandon Boesch

9.7

Wow! This is amazing. Great nose of dried flowers, red fruit, dried fruit, leather. Palate is more of the same. Prunes, flower, cherries, leather. Such a long finish. Maybe best CA Nebbiolo. Will 100 percent seek out more. — 4 months ago

LM Segal

9.5

Rich but mineral-driven, with a nose haunted by an old Yquem. Incredibly expressive and multidimensional, with light tropical fruit, shellfish and neat salinity. Seek this out. — 4 years ago

Brendan Baker

9.3

Cassis, graphite, firm tannin, not at all polished (I believe this saw no new wood at all), but still elegant. I need to seek more of this out 😍 — 5 years ago

Aaron Tan

9.0

I'll start off by saying that I think less-than-ideal storage conditions marred this tasting with Kai. It's a struggle here really because I really like their Malaysian importer. I can understand the difficulties in maintaining an effective cold chain in Malaysia, so I sincerely hope this gets better.

Having said that, this was my favorite in Kai's line-up despite the slightly advanced wine. Good perfume, sporting smokey black fruits, herbs, spices, violets, and wood (which was a touch distracting). I felt the palate should have been livelier - dark-fruited, spicy, and earthy, with heavy charred notes permeating throughout. The finish has a lot fruit sweetness, with a lick of caramel and balsamic. Nice wine, though not one I'd actively seek.

To be frank I think too much oak was used here, but not in the same liberty as in Barossa Shiraz. It's more like Guigal vs Gonon... maybe that's a bit extreme... Jamet vs Gonon... though not quite right still. I like Kai, but I gotta follow my palate at times like this. — 5 years ago

Neil Blaze

9.1

Elegant and mellow, this lovely white offered fresh aromas of orchard fruit and soft flavors of apricot and yellow apple. My first experience with this grape; I'll definitely seek this out again! 100% Xarel-lo. 7/10/22. — 3 years ago

AEL

9.0

So this is basically impossible to dislike. The young woman on the label has it right: grill up a steak and dig in. Those seeking finesse and subtlety, seek elsewhere - that's not what this is for. A juicy, dense, spicy, over-extracted wine (15.6% ABV). Go big or go home. — 3 years ago

Jay Kline

9.1

Popped and poured. Bright ruby in the glass. Fresh cherries, dried herbs and leather on the nose. Bright cherries, black tea and leather on the palate. Light and lean but impeccably polished. Definitely more on the elegant side of BdM. My first Padelletti and I’m sufficiently intrigued to seek out more. — 5 years ago