Domaine de Marcoux Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge 2020
Domaine de Marcoux
Domaine de Marcoux has practiced biodynamic farming since 1990, and the purity of fruit in this 2020 reflects that commitment. The sun-baked galets roulés stones — heat stored by day, released by night — are the invisible hand in every Châteauneuf, and this bottling captures that thermal exchange beautifully. A wine shaped by the memory of stone and sun.
Nose
Ripe black cherry and crushed violets open the nose, followed by garrigue herbs and a subtle whiff of warm stone. With air, a gentle cedar note and a whisper of dark chocolate emerge.
Palate
Full-bodied and generous, with concentrated blackcurrant and dark berry fruit. The midpalate introduces a savory, almost gamey quality alongside dried herbs. Tannins are ripe and fine-grained, providing structure without austerity. A hint of toasted spice from oak aging sits beneath the fruit.
Finish
Long and layered, with persistent berry fruit, cedar, and a final mineral note that recalls the galets roulés of the appellation.
- Varietal
- Grenache
- Blend
- Grenache (approx. 80%), Mourvèdre, Syrah, Cinsault, Counoise
- Vineyards
- Multiple parcels across Châteauneuf-du-Pape, including old vines on galets roulés soils
- Alcohol
- 14.5%
- Organic / Biodynamic
- No
Food Pairing
A slow-braised lamb shoulder rubbed with herbs de Provence and served alongside roasted root vegetables — the wine's gamey undertones and herbal complexity find a natural home beside the lamb's rich, savory character.
Run by sisters Catherine and Sophie Armenier, Domaine de Marcoux has been a biodynamic pioneer in Châteauneuf-du-Pape since 1990, farming old Grenache vines planted across the appellation's famous sun-heated stone fields.
Be the first to comment.
Leave a comment
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe Télégramme Châteauneuf-du-Pape 2020
Domaine du Vieux Télégraphe
Télégramme is the second wine of the legendary La Crau bottling, and the 2020 vintage is a testament to the warmth and generosity of that year. It offers much of the depth and complexity of its elder sibling at a fraction of the price — a serious Châteauneuf for everyday enjoyment.
Passopisciaro Contrada P Terre Siciliane IGT 2021
Passopisciaro
Andrea Franchetti's Passopisciaro project maps Etna's contrade with obsessive precision, and Contrada P — from the Porcaria vineyard on Etna's north face — is a vivid demonstration of how volcanic fire, stored in the soil for millennia, shapes a wine's identity. Nerello Mascalese here is lean, focused, and electric.
Vietti Barbera d'Asti Tre Vigne 2022
Vietti
Vietti's Tre Vigne Barbera shows how minimal oak aging can shape a wine without redefining it. The fruit remains front and center, with wood providing structure rather than flavor. For a daily-drinking red from a top Piedmont producer, it delivers remarkable clarity and balance.
Benanti Etna Rosso DOC 2021
Benanti
Benanti pioneered the modern Etna wine movement in the 1980s, and their entry-level Rosso remains a benchmark for the appellation. Nerello Mascalese grown on volcanic slopes delivers transparency, tension, and a sense of place that few wines at this price can match. A vivid expression of heat stored in stone.