Marcoux’s silky and perfumed Côtes-du-Rhône is drawn from two small, biodynamically farmed parcels of old vines on the edge of the Châteauneuf vineyards in the northern sector near Orange. There’s one hectare at Maucoil (planted in the 1930s) and another at Boislauzon (planted in 1965). The grapes are sorted both in the vineyard and cellar—not all Côtes du Rhône is created equal.

This year's blend is the traditional mix of 80% Grenache with a balance of Syrah, Mourvèdre and a little Cinsault. The harvesting is always done by hand, and fermentation takes place in cement tanks with wild yeast. It has more power and texture than last year’s wine, alongside plenty of perfume, pretty, ripe red and fruits and fine length. In other words, it is a cut above and a delicious introduction to the domaine’s wines.

Frankly, Marcoux’s white is one of Châteauneuf’s best. La Revue du Vin de France agrees with us, writing: “[The domaine’s white wines] regularly establish themselves among the most beautiful of the appellation; cultivation has a lot to do with it.” The first thing to say is that it’s atypically Roussanne-dominant (up to 70%), blended with Bourboulenc, Grenache Blanc and Clairette. Most of the Roussanne and Bourboulenc hails from two parcels: Les Esqueirons, where the cool, limestone-based soils are perfect for white grapes; and Les Bosquets, where the Bourboulenc brings citric freshness and drive to the layered Roussanne. The rest of the grapes come from parcels of Grenache Blanc and Clairette, which are co-planted in predominantly red sites. Marcoux currently farms only one hectare of white grapes, although another fifth of a hectare of Clairette will come on stream soon. 

In the cellar, the grapes are pressed as whole bunches and ferment naturally in mostly steel tanks. An ever-increasing portion of the wine is now raised in low-impact Stockinger cask, and Sophie Armenier’s son Vincent Estevenin has also introduced some sandstone amphora into the mix. As always, there is no bâtonnage or malolactic conversion and even in warmer-than-average years, the wine always retains an outstanding balance between volume and freshness. Very aromatic this year (think spring meadows and citrus fruits), it offers a fabulous balance of textural fruits countered by chalky structure, stony depth and terrific zesty length. Great class and crazy delicious. It should live magnificently, developing more complexity, but it's just a wonderfully delicious drink now.

Marcoux’s biodynamically farmed Lorentine vineyard lies in the heart of the Lirac appellation on the red clay, limestone and galet soils of Saint-Laurent-des-Arbres (in the valley of Balouvière). Over many years, the Armeniers have slowly peeled back the layers of Lirac’s neglected terroir. They have restored life to the soils through cultivation and organic/biodynamic practice and are producing wines worthy of this excellent terroir. The 2021 is a blend of Grenache (50%) and equal parts Syrah and Mourvèdre, fermented with indigenous yeasts and raised for 15 months in concrete and old wooden barrels.

Very Marcoux in style, full of the Ameniers’ trademark purity and balance. Bright, blueberry fruits on the nose with garrigue, black olive and pepper and some savoury wet-stone minerality. It’s generous and textured on the palate but light on its feet, full of bright fruit, violets, anise and subtle minerality. It finishes long and fresh with fine, powdery tannins. A real pleasure, and effortless to drink despite its impressive depth of flavour.

This year’s blend is 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 7% Syrah and 3% Cinsault. Marcoux’s Châteauneuf is drawn from 13 parcels of vines, biodynamically farmed and dotted across the appellation. With a concentration on the famous Crau plateau, the parcels encompass a wide range of soil types, from the sandy soils of Charbonnières to the red clay and galets in L’Arnesque and Les Bosquets, to the limestone and white clay in Les Esqueirons and Beaurenard, and finally the red clay and gravels of Les Galimardes, Les Serres and Les Plagnes in the south. This means Marcoux can produce a wine that genuinely reflects the Châteauneuf terroir as a whole. It also allows the domaine to craft balanced wines year in, year out, as each parcel is vinified separately before blending (and any parcels that do not fit the bill are typically declassified to Côtes du Rhône or sold to the négoces).

As is customary, the wines were naturally fermented and raised in concrete vat (up to 90%) and large oak, without any new oak. The aging spanned 18 months, and the wine was bottled unfiltered. After a run of broader-shouldered wines, this year’s release tastes positively airborne! The shape, sculpted by finely woven tannins and refreshing tension, is impeccable, and the finish pure and focused. “It's a nice vintage, very different from past years, but good. I like the tannins—you can drink the wine young and enjoy it later,” says Vincent Estevenin. In short, it’s a long, intense and classy offering from one of the region’s great artisans.

This year’s blend is 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvèdre, 7% Syrah and 3% Cinsault. Marcoux’s Châteauneuf is drawn from 13 parcels of vines, biodynamically farmed and dotted across the appellation. With a concentration on the famous Crau plateau, the parcels encompass a wide range of soil types, from the sandy soils of Charbonnières to the red clay and galets in L’Arnesque and Les Bosquets, to the limestone and white clay in Les Esqueirons and Beaurenard, and finally the red clay and gravels of Les Galimardes, Les Serres and Les Plagnes in the south. This means Marcoux can produce a wine that genuinely reflects the Châteauneuf terroir as a whole. It also allows the domaine to craft balanced wines year in, year out, as each parcel is vinified separately before blending (and any parcels that do not fit the bill are typically declassified to Côtes du Rhône or sold to the négoces).

As is customary, the wines were naturally fermented and raised in concrete vat (up to 90%) and large oak, without any new oak. The aging spanned 18 months, and the wine was bottled unfiltered. After a run of broader-shouldered wines, this year’s release tastes positively airborne! The shape, sculpted by finely woven tannins and refreshing tension, is impeccable, and the finish pure and focused. “It's a nice vintage, very different from past years, but good. I like the tannins—you can drink the wine young and enjoy it later,” says Vincent Estevenin. In short, it’s a long, intense and classy offering from one of the region’s great artisans.

Christened by Robert Parker as “one of the world’s truly magnificent wines”, this rarity is one of the most limited and sought-after wines of Châteauneuf. The fruit comes from three crown-jewel parcels of exceptionally old vines in Charbonnières and Les Esqueirons. Charbonnières (planted in 1900) lies on the northern side of the Crau plateau, mostly on sandy soils with molasse sandstone. The vines are nearly all Grenache with a few rows of Mourvèdre. The plot in Les Esqueirons lies behind the famous château ruins on the hill's western side. Here, the Grenache vines (and some Roussanne) are rooted in limestone and white clay. Some were planted in 1900, and the rest in 1949.

The fruit is treated in the same minimalist fashion as the classic bottling. Thus, what you taste over and above that wine simply reflects the fruit of these ancient vines and their terroirs. No new oak is used throughout the maturation; the wines ferment naturally and are raised for 18 months in concrete and large oak foudre before being bottled unfiltered. The Vieilles Vignes is only bottled in great vintages—which, in a way, says it all. The reviews below describe the wine nicely. 2021 has delivered an outstanding Châteauneuf-du-Pape; few in the region will have made a finer wine this vintage than the Armenier family.