The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes 2020 from Domaine de Marcoux comes from Grenache vines documented since 1900 – a profound, concentrated red wine from one of the pioneering biodynamic estates in the southern Rhône.
Bottler: Domaine de Marcoux, Chemin de la Gironde 198, 84100 Orange / France
In the glass
Colour
Deep garnet red with violet reflections.
Nose
Tremendous concentration and depth: sweet berries, figs and dates, alongside chocolate, cocoa, roasted hazelnuts and sweet mocha.
Palate
Dense and concentrated on the palate, with mineral tension and a firm structure – dry, powerful and built for long-term ageing.
Character
A monumental, multi-layered Châteauneuf that combines power with elegance and can age for decades; patience or a carafe is required.
Pairing
Pan-fried duck liver with lingonberries, hare with Brussels sprouts and celeriac purée, or a tartlet of Fourme d'Ambert with blackcurrant and dark chocolate.
Notes
Produced from pre-phylloxera Grenache vines over 120 years old, hand-harvested and triple-sorted, spontaneously fermented with indigenous yeasts and aged for 18 months in concrete tanks, foudres and older barrels – from an estate that has been farming biodynamically since 1991.
Tasting note
Colour & appearance
Deep garnet red with violet reflections – dense, profound and almost opaque in the glass.
Nose
Profound and concentrated: sweet berries, figs and dates, followed by chocolate, roasted hazelnuts, cocoa and a hint of sweet mocha. An aromatic profile you could easily lose yourself in.
Palate
Tremendous density and concentration, underpinned by fine minerality and a structure capable of ageing for decades. Despite its 16 per cent alcohol, the wine never feels heavy – power and elegance are in perfect balance. Still rather closed at present; a carafe will help, but patience will reward even more.
Finish
Long, warm and spicy, with lingering fruit and a mineral drive that lends tension to its generous body.
Terroir & origin
The Armenier family cultivates 13 plots across the appellation: the famous galets roulés over clay-rich, moisture-retentive subsoils, alongside red sandstone, colluvial sediments and Cretaceous limestone soils. Domaine de Marcoux has been farmed biodynamically since 1991 – one of the first estates in the region to do so – and is now run by Sophie Armenier and her son Vincent Estevenin. The vines for the Vieilles Vignes have been documented since 1900: pre-phylloxera Grenache vines, now over 120 years old.
Grape variety & vinification
Grenache Noir dominates, complemented by small amounts of Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault. Hand-harvested at optimal ripeness, which varies from plot to plot, then triple-sorted, destemmed and fermented with wild yeasts. Maturation lasts 18 months in historic concrete tanks, supplemented by foudres and older 350-litre casks.
Food recommendations
A wine for richly flavoured cuisine: pan-fried duck liver with lingonberries, hare à la Rouennaise with Brussels sprouts and celeriac purée, or – bold yet rewarding – Fourme d’Ambert tartlet with blackcurrant and dark chocolate.
Special notes
At this stage, be sure to decant and serve slightly chilled in large glasses. Those who grant it a few years in the cellar will be rewarded with one of the great, long-lived wines of the southern Rhône – the structure of this vintage is built to last for decades.
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