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ProducerDomaine de Marcoux
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Vintage2011
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Grape VarietyGrenache Blend
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RegionRhone
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Sub RegionChateauneuf-du-Pape
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SizeBottle
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.
95 Points Jeb Dunnuck
Even more impressive and mostly likely one of the top 10-12 wines in the vintage, the 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes is an up-front, sexy and perfumed blend of close to 100% Grenache. Possessing notions of kirsch liqueur, raspberry, creamy licorice and crushed flowers, it is full-bodied, nicely concentrated and has an overall hedonistic, seamless profile that’s hard to resist. I don’t think it will make old bones though, and it should be at its best during its first 10-12 years of life. Don’t let that deter you though as this is one delicious thrill ride of Grenache.