Clos des Grillons

History of Clos des Grillons

Before becoming a winemaker, Nicolas Renaud taught history and geography. Wine was then merely a passion, nurtured by visits to the vineyards and by the lasting memory of Henri Bonneau's bottles, a mythical figure of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The decisive encounter came when he was introduced to Éric Pfifferling, of the celebrated domaine de l'Anglore, in Tavel. The discovery of his work and his wines acted as a revelation: he understood that it was possible to produce here, in the Gard, wines of a finesse and vibrancy he had not imagined.

In 2006, he decided to take the plunge and founded Clos des Grillons with a simple plot of vines, before officially setting up in 2007 in Rochefort-du-Gard. He completed his apprenticeship at the Domaine de la Vieille Julienne, in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and benefited from the support of Éric Pfifferling and Jean-Paul Daumen. His strategy is as bold as it is rewarding: he took over century-old vines that nobody wanted, precisely because their yields were too low, and made them the raw material for exceptional cuvées. The estate now extends over fourteen to eighteen hectares, scattered across a multitude of plots spread over the Côtes du Rhône, Côtes du Rhône Villages Signargues and Tavel appellations. Recognized by La Revue du vin de France, Nicolas Renaud is now considered one of the leading figures of the southern Rhône, capable of reconciling natural wine enthusiasts and the most classically inclined palates.

Terroirs and Vines of Clos des Grillons

The vineyard is composed of a mosaic of small plots scattered around Rochefort-du-Gard, in this département that boasts the largest organically farmed surface area in France. The soils alternate between limestone, marly white soils, clays and areas of rounded galets, each type imprinting its signature on a particular cuvée: this is indeed how several of the estate's labels came into being, such as Calcaires and Terres Blanches.

The grape varieties give pride of place to the traditional varieties of the southern Rhône: grenache, syrah, carignan, cinsault and mourvèdre for the reds, bourboulenc, ugni blanc, picpoul, picardan and clairette for the whites. Certain plots are true treasures, such as this old bourboulenc vine planted in 1901 or this century-old grenache co-planted with eight red and white grape varieties, a legacy of an era when everything was planted together. The entire vineyard has been managed using organic and biodynamic farming from the outset, with no chemical products whatsoever, careful soil work, reasoned cover cropping and naturally very low yields. The harvest is done by hand and sorted with exacting standards — an indispensable condition for sulfur-free winemaking.

Winemaking at Clos des Grillons

In the cellar, Nicolas Renaud is a perfectionist. He champions precision and straightforwardness, and he achieves it. Almost all of his cuvées are vinified by carbonic maceration, with whole bunches — a technique he defends with conviction: contrary to a common misconception, it does not mask the terroir; it simply allows for lighter and more digestible wines. Macerations generally last around one month, in stainless steel or concrete tanks, with minimal extraction.

Aging takes place largely in amphora, a vessel he adopted following a difficult vintage, which brings his wines a silky texture and striking purity, complemented depending on the cuvée by older barrels, never new. Oenological inputs are entirely banned: no added yeasts, no fining, no filtration, and no added sulfur, with the exception of one or two infinitesimal doses at bottling when deemed necessary. The result lies in a recognizable signature: clean, indulgent, floral wines that extend as much in breadth as in length and always finish on that salinity which reflects the taste of terroir sought by the winemaker.

The Cuvées of Clos des Grillons

Grillons Rouge: the entry-level cuvée of the estate and the best entry point into the world of Nicolas Renaud. It blends approximately 50% destemmed syrah aged in older barrels, complemented by grenache and cinsault planted on limestone soils, vinified for one month by carbonic maceration in stainless steel tanks. The nose is elegant, with floral notes of peony, the palate silky and vibrant, carried by a beautiful energy and a fresh, mouth-watering finish that sometimes evokes the syrahs of the northern Rhône. Superb with marinated poultry or grilled summer vegetables.

Calcaires: a single-parcel cuvée from the estate's limestone soils, which bring tension and minerality to the grenache. Crunchy, fruit-forward and airy, it combines a supple substance, smooth tannins and a very precise saline finish. One of the estate's consistently great achievements, regularly cited among the favorites of specialist wine merchants.

Oeillets Rouges: a red cuvée that has become, in just a few vintages, the direct rival of Calcaires. The nose blends dark fruits, spices and flowers; the palate is fresh, full and dangerously drinkable. A generous and elegant wine, to be served slightly chilled.

Esprit Libre: as its name suggests, an unconstrained cuvée, conceived for immediate pleasure. Crunchy fruit, fluid and digestible substance, total absence of artifice: it is the estate's thirst-quenching wine, ideal for discovering Nicolas Renaud's style at an accessible price.

La Pointue: the cult cuvée of the estate, sourced from a century-old old vine of grenache co-planted with eight red and white grape varieties. Absent after the 2012 vintage, it made a triumphant return to the delight of enthusiasts. A limpid garnet color, aromas of blackcurrant, very ripe cherry and above all oriental spices — saffron, nutmeg and ras el hanout — a broad and enveloping palate on a racing acidity, with a fine, powdery tannic weave and remarkable length. A sunny and rich wine, built for aging.

Les Nuits de Java: a confidential red cuvée with an evocative name, produced in very small volumes. It plays on dark fruit, soft spices and a velvety texture, in a more nocturnal and deeper register than the estate's easy-drinking cuvées. A bottle sought after by the estate's loyal following.

La Côte: a single-parcel wine from a hillside of the estate, where the exposure and natural drainage yield more concentrated grapes. The wine gains in structure and depth while retaining the airy elegance characteristic of Clos des Grillons. Decant before serving.

Terres Blanches Vieilles Vignes: a cuvée born from the estate's marly white soils and its oldest vines. The color is a deep garnet with violet hues, the substance denser and more serious, with silky tannins and a mineral finish. One of the most accomplished expressions of the Rochefort-du-Gard terroir.

Primo Senso: a red wine with a garnet-red color, whose nose blends spiced notes, red fruits and a touch of citrus. The attack is supple, the palate unfolding comfortably on red fruit and zest, before a noble bitterness on the finish that stimulates the palate and calls for the next glass. A table wine par excellence.

1901: the estate's emblematic white cuvée, whose name corresponds to the year the bourboulenc vines from which it is made were planted. In recent vintages, it tends toward orange wine, with approximately 40% maceration blended with direct-press juice. The color is amber-orange, the palate broad and voluminous, with some structure, the ripeness being counterbalanced by the freshness of the maceration and light bitterness on the finish. Quince, beeswax and pepper emerge with aeration. Decant for about thirty minutes.

Pic-Gris: a white cuvée made from picpoul, a historic Languedoc grape variety often overlooked in the Rhône. Vinified without sulfur like the rest of the range, it offers a taut, saline and thirst-quenching palate, with citrus and white flowers. A perfect gastronomic white wine with shellfish and grilled fish.

Tavel: the cuvée that shakes up the sometimes dated image of this appellation exclusively dedicated to rosé. Aged in amphora, it displays a deep rosé color and a superb nose blending cherry with floral notes of rose. The palate is tactile, between suppleness and unctuousness, with a fine and dynamic backbone, a vibrant flow and an aromatic profile full of freshness — strawberry and cherry — enlivened by scrubland herbs. A truly great table rosé.

Une Île: a mourvèdre rosé in Vin de France, with a deep color. The nose, slightly reductive upon opening, hints at orange peel, while the palate is supple and airy, with subtly spiced notes and a barely sketched tannic structure. Of rare finesse for this grape variety, it is a cuvée apart in the range, whose expression changes noticeably with each vintage.