There are old families in the Chateauneuf du Pape appellation and there are really old families from the region. The roots of Domaine de Marcoux date all the way back to about the year 1000. Chateauneuf du Pape was not born yet.
The area was still known as Castrum Novum, which meant fortified village. At the time, the ancestors of the Armenier family went under the name of Armani. And no, we’re not talking about the house of Armani from Italy! The estate takes its name from the village of Marcoux, located in the Alpes de Haute Provence.
While the owners of Domaine de Marcoux are obviously one of the oldest families in the Southern Rhone Valley, winemaking did not take place at Domaine de Marcoux until quite recently. The first vintage was 1989. In 1990, the began farming about 30% of their vineyards using only biodynamic experiments.
Six years later, the sisters, Catherine Armenier and Sophie Estevenin started managing Domaine de Marcoux after their brother Philippe Armenier moved to Napa Valley in California in 1995. Catherine Armenier is responsible for the wine making, and Sophie Armenier looks after the business end of the winery.
96-98 Points Stephen Tanzer
Opaque ruby. Intense, spice-accented aromas of candied raspberry, boysenberry, incense and fresh flowers. Stains the palate with deeply concentrated berry fruit and floral pastille flavors but carries no excess weight. Becomes spicier with air and finishes with superb clarity, energy and sweet floral persistence. This wine’s fruit and floral expression is really breathtaking.