2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de Marcoux, Rhône

2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de Marcoux, Rhône

Product: 20108009434
 
2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape, Vieilles Vignes, Domaine de Marcoux, Rhône

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Available by the case In Bond. Pricing excludes duty and VAT, which must be paid separately before delivery. Storage charges apply.
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Description

A magnificent but still very tannic wine, cropped at amazingly low yields of 12 hl/ha and made up 98% Grenache and 2% Cinsault, all of which is over 100 years old. An amazing cornucopia of fruit, spice and all things...A real vin de garde.
Simon Field MW, BBR Buyer, February 2012

We are delighted to welcome to our list this famous property which is owned and run by the charming sisters Sophie and Catherine Armenier. The synergy between England’s oldest wine merchant and one of the oldest families in The Rhône should be obvious, although, unusually BBR may have been beaten in terms of longevity as Marcoux can trace roots back to the 15th century, whereas BBR was only founded in 1698! The property owns 17 hectares in Châteauneuf-du-Pape, its vines mainly located to the south of the appellation. They are certified as organic and their wines are always wonderfully pure, which is increasingly important as the sugar levels, especially in Grenache, continue to escalate.

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Critics reviews

Wine Advocate96/100
The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes (350 cases produced) was made from low yields of 15 hectoliters per hectare. This wine oozes black raspberry and blackberry fruits intermixed with floral, forest floor, garrigue and ground pepper notes. Exceptionally pure, textured and built like a skyscraper, this sensational effort will drink well for 20-25+ years.
Robert M. Parker, Jr. - 31/10/2012 Read more
Robert Parker93-95/100
The 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes, which comes from 90- to 100+-year-old vines and is a blend of 98% Grenache and 2% other varieties (primarily Cinsault) aged in cement, was cropped from 12 hectoliters per hectare, compared to the 2009's 15 hectoliters per hectare. That is essentially nothing short of financial suicide. This wine, which reminds the Armenier sisters somewhat of the 2001 vintage in its style, is very concentrated and has a dense purple color as well as a beautifully sweet nose of licorice, pepper, garrigue, blueberry, black raspberry and blackberry fruit. This is distinctive, compelling Chateauneuf du Pape that comes from their oldest vines, located in three of the best lieux-dits in Chateauneuf du Pape – La Crau in the eastern sector, Gallimardes in the south and Esquirons in the middle. This wine has wonderfully silky tannin, but it is definitely noticeable, and I suspect 3-5 years of cellaring is warranted. It should drink well for 20-25 years at the minimum.
(Robert Parker - Wine Advocate - Oct 2011) Read more

About this WINE

Domaine de Marcoux

Domaine de Marcoux

Sisters Sophie and Catherine Armenier have elevated Marcoux to the very highest ranks. Today, Sophie diligently runs the winery, while her son Vincent Estevenin looks after the vineyards. Now, there are 27 hectares split into over 20 parcels: 18 hectares lie right in the heart of the prime Châteauneuf-du-Pape terroir of La Crau plateau. The remainder rest in Lirac and the other Côtes du Rhône villages. Certified as organic by Ecocert as early as 1991, this year marks four decades of rigorous organic and then biodynamic principles.

The domaine makes three main wines: a Lirac, their main Châteauneuf-du-Pape and an exceptional Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes – the top cuvée from this organically certified domaine. It’s made from two parcels of outstanding, old-vine Grenache: Charbonnières, planted in 2000 and Esqueirons, planted in 1949.

The cool, freshness of the 2021 vintage really plays to Domaine de Marcoux’s stylistic strengths of purity and minerality, aided as ever by their dedication to biodynamics. Their wines are always balanced but, at 1.5% abv lower than in 2020, both the Lirac and the Châteauneuf-du-Pape are especially gorgeous this year. These wines epitomise the crunchy, deliciously fresh appeal of 2021; they are lifted, fruit-forward and fragrant, and such a delight to drink.

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Châteauneuf-du-Pape

Châteauneuf-du-Pape

The most celebrated village of the Southern Rhône, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the birthplace of the now indispensable French Appellation d’Origine Contrôlée system – imperfect though it may be. Compared to the Northern Rhône, the vineyards here are relatively flat and often feature the iconic galet pebbles – the precise benefits of which are a source of much debate. Minimum alcohol levels required by the AOC are the highest in France, but at 12.5% it is well below the natural generosity of Grenache, which only achieves its full aromatic potential when it is fully ripe and laden with the resultant high sugars. Syrah and Mourvèdre contribute the other defining elements in the blend, adding pepper, savoury spice and structure to the decadent Grenache. There are a further 10 permitted red grape varieties which can be used to adjust the “seasoning”. Of the five white varieties permitted, it is Grenache Noir’s sibling – predictably perhaps – Grenache Blanc, which dominates, though Roussanne shows a great deal of promise when handled well, notably at Château de Beaucastel.

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Southern Rhône Blend

Southern Rhône Blend

The vast majority of wines from the Southern Rhône are blends. There are 5 main black varieties, although others are used and the most famous wine of the region, Châteauneuf du Pape, can be made from as many as 13 different varieties. Grenache is the most important grape in the southern Rhône - it contributes alcohol, warmth and gentle juicy fruit and is an ideal base wine in the blend. Plantings of Syrah in the southern Rhône have risen dramatically in the last decade and it is an increasingly important component in blends. It rarely attains the heights that it does in the North but adds colour, backbone, tannins and soft ripe fruit to the blend.

The much-maligned Carignan has been on the retreat recently but is still included in many blends - the best old vines can add colour, body and spicy fruits. Cinsault is also backtracking but, if yields are restricted, can produce moderately well-coloured wines adding pleasant-light fruit to red and rosé blends. Finally, Mourvèdre, a grape from Bandol on the Mediterranean coast, has recently become an increasingly significant component of Southern Rhône blends - it often struggles to ripen fully but can add acidity, ripe spicy berry fruits and hints of tobacco to blends.

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