Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge AOC 2020

Wine description for Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge AOC 2020 by Marcoux

Colour & appearance

Medium crimson, clear and bright in the glass.

Nose

Elegant, refined and multi-layered: violet and aniseed, a touch of pepper and garrigue, beneath which lie juicy dark raspberries, black cherries and blackberries. In the background, a bouquet garni and a hint of crushed stone – remarkably transparent for the appellation.

Palate

An exceedingly elegant texture, classic and timeless. Red as well as dark fruit, the liquorice note typical of Grenache, and once again garrigue. The 15.5% ABV lends warmth yet remains neatly integrated. A fine, supple mouthfeel with great length.

Finish

Long and warm, with persistent fruit and herbal spice – a finale that convinces through depth rather than power.

Terroir & origin

Domaine de Marcoux farms 18 hectares across 13 plots in various districts of the appellation: quartzite pebbles (the famous galets roulés), clay, red sandstone, colluvium and chalky limestone. The Armenier family already appears in the tax registers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape in 1344 – winegrowers for nearly 700 years. Today, Sophie Armenier and her son Vincent Estevenin run the estate.

Grape varieties & vinification

A cuvée of Grenache (around 80%), Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault, partly from very old vines. Hand-harvested with multiple sorting passes, spontaneous fermentation, four to five weeks’ maceration, followed by 18 months’ maturation – predominantly in the historic concrete tanks, complemented by older casks.

Food recommendations

Hearty, spiced cuisine: Bœuf à la Gardiane with oranges and olives, paella with chorizo and merguez, or a soup of yellow split peas, chickpeas and fresh thyme.

Special features

Marcoux has been farming biodynamically since 1990 – one of the first estates in the region to do so, at a time when eyebrows were still being raised sceptically in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. The result is a wine that, despite its alcohol, feels astonishingly transparent and precise: power without heaviness, depth without opulence. Already a pleasure to drink now, with reserves for years to come.