Domaine de Marcoux "Châteauneuf-du-Pape" Rhône Valley, France 2021

FROM EUROPEAN CELLARS:

THE WINE: A blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge, the bulk of the production at Domaine de Marcoux, is sourced from 13 sites spread over a wide range of terroirs. This allows for a wine that is both dense but pure and lifted with beguiling aromatics. In general terms Marcoux is always inclined towards red-fruit flavors with a smoky stoniness that emerges with age.

THE PRODUCER: Upon meeting Sophie and Catherine, one cannot help but notice their ease and quiet confidence in a setting that is neither modern nor traditional. Their tasting room is simple and modest, much like their cellar, so that the overall impression you get is one of timelessness. Being located in a rural part of an already remarkably pastoral appellation only reinforces the impression that they operate in an oasis of calm, balance, and poise. So it only makes sense that their wines also share these qualities. While their family’s roots in the region can be traced back to the 13th century, the Domaine is surprisingly new, founded in 1989 but from vineyards that have been in the family for generations.

Domaine de Marcoux was a pioneer in organic and biodynamic farming long before it was fashionable, which is now overseen by Catherine with assistance from Sophie’s son Vincent. They farm about 18 ha in Chateauneuf-du-Pape, 8 ha in Lirac, and a little over 2 ha just north of Châteauneuf, where they make a lovely and nuanced Côtes-du-Rhône. There is a wide range of soil types from sandy soils in Charbonnières, to red clay and galets in L’Arnesque and Les Bouquets, to limestone and marl in Les Esquirons and Beaurenard, to red clay and gravel in Gallimardes, Les Serres, La Crau, and Les Plagnes. They grow Grenache primarily, with an average vine age of 50 years old, with smaller amounts of Mourvedre, Syrah, Cinsault, Roussanne, Bourboulenc, Clairette, and Grenache Blanc.