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A tax register from 1344 already lists the Armenier family as winegrowers in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Today, Sophie Armenier and her son Vincent Estevenin manage Domaine de Marcoux and its 18 hectares across the finest terroirs of the appellation. They have been farming biodynamically since 1990 – making them one of the pioneers in the region. Prior to this, Sophie and her sister Catherine ran the estate together for decades, acting as trailblazers in a male-dominated industry. The wines of Marcoux seamlessly blend power with elegance: deep, complex reds from old Grenache vines and mineral-driven whites that rank among the very best in the southern Rhône.
More about Marcoux
700 years of viticulture in one family
In 1344 - the year in which the plague devastated Europe - the name Armenian appears for the first time in the tax registers of Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Winegrowers, even then. When Elie Armenier died in 1980, his wife and son Philippe carried on the legacy. The turning point came in 1989: Philippe christened the estate Domaine de Marcoux and began to take an interest in biodynamics. François Bouchet became his mentor. From 1990, they worked according to his principles - pioneers in a region that was still sceptical at the time.
Two sisters take over
When Philippe went to California to work as a consultant for biodynamic viticulture, his sisters Sophie and Catherine were faced with a decision. They took over. Sophie took over the cellar, Catherine the 18 hectares of vineyards auf sieben verschiedenen Terroirs. Ihr erster gemeinsamer Jahrgang: 1996. Zwei Frauen an der Spitze eines renommierten Weinguts – in den Neunzigern noch eine Seltenheit. „Man kann keinen Ausdruck von Terroir erhalten, wenn die Reben nicht tiefe Wurzeln gebildet haben”, sagt Sophie. Heute unterstützt ihr Sohn Vincent die Arbeit im Weinberg mit seinem legendären Saint-Chamond – einer Kettenraupe, perfekt für die engen Reihen zwischen den alten Grenache-Gobelet sticks.
Triple sorting, zero compromises
Precision reigns in the cellar. Each grape undergoes three checks: during manual harvesting, during decanting on the hanger and at the sorting table in the cellar. Only then does the work of the natural yeasts begin. The Mash stand time takes four to six weeks - an unusually long time. Ageing takes place over 18 months: previously exclusively in the historic concrete tanks, today supplemented by Stockinger-Fuder from Austria and, more recently, amphorae. Similarly uncompromising Clos des Papes, another biodynamic pioneer of the appellation.
From Côtes du Rhône to Vieilles Vignes
The entry-level wines - Côtes du Rhône and Lirac - already show the signature of the house: fruit without heaviness, structure without harshness. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape rouge brings the power of the Galets-roulés terroirs into the glass. The crowning glory: vieilles vignes, pressed from Grenache vines, which have been documented since 1900 prephylloxer sticks, over 120 years old. A white Châteauneuf made from Roussanne and Clairette, mineral and long-lasting.