Marcoux
Few estates in Châteauneuf-du-Pape can match the ‘Domaine de Marque’ in terms of the depth of their roots. The Armenier family is first mentioned in local tax records in 1344, and according to family tradition, their presence in the region dates back to around the year 1000.
The estate’s name derives from the village of Marcu in the Alpes-de-Haute-Provence, from where the family originates. In the early 20th century, their grandfather, Émile Armenier, was part of a group of winemakers who campaigned for legal protection for Châteauneuf-du-Pape wines; this campaign culminated in 1933, when the Court of Cassation in Nîmes confirmed the boundaries and regulations of this appellation. The estate was later run by sisters Sophie and Catherine Armenier, two women who laid the foundations for the estate’s modern reputation at a time when the industry was dominated by men. Today, Sophie Armenier and her son Vincent Estévenen jointly manage the estate.
Vineyards and terroir
The estate cultivates around 18 hectares in the Châteauneuf-du-Pape appellation, 8 hectares in Lirac and just over 2 hectares north of Châteauneuf for Côtes du Rhône. The vineyard soils vary considerably from one plot to another: sandy soils in Charbonnière; red clay mixed with the famous large ‘galettes de Roule’ in L’Arnesque and Le Bouquet; limestone and marl in Les Esquiron and Borénar; and red clay and gravel in Gallimard, Le-Ser, La-Cro and Le-Plan.
The estate switched to organic farming in 1991, and shortly afterwards adopted biodynamic methods, becoming one of the first to introduce biodynamics throughout the southern Rhône.
Grapes
Grenache is the predominant variety: the average age of the vines is around 50 years, whilst in the oldest plots they range from 80 to over 100 years. Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault complement the red blend. For its white wines, the estate uses Roussanne, which has been grown at Les Esquiron since 1987, Bourboulenque at Les Busquets, Clairette and Grenache Blanc.
Winemaking
No commercial yeasts are added at any stage. The grapes are harvested by hand into 50-kilogramme crates to avoid damaging the berries. Red wines are fermented in stainless-steel tanks; Grenache is aged partly in tanks and partly in barrels, whilst Mourvèdre and Syrah are transferred entirely to oak barrels. White wines are pressed as whole bunches and fermented at a controlled temperature in stainless steel tanks, then aged in concrete vats and large oak casks before bottling approximately 15 months after harvest. A minimalist approach is adopted throughout the process.
Wines
The range includes Châteauneuf-du-Pape reds and whites, the ‘Vieilles Vignes’ red, Lirac, Côtes du Rhône and two ‘Vin de France’ cuvées named ‘Raisin de Loup’, a red and a white.
The standard Châteauneuf-du-Pape red is a blend of Grenache, Mourvèdre, Syrah and Cinsault, sourced from vines with an average age of 50 years. The ‘Vieilles Vignes’ wine is, in fact, 100 percent Grenache from old vines, harvested from three specific plots, ‘La Crau’, ‘Gallimardes’ and ‘Les Esqueirons’, where the vines range in age from 80 to over 100 years. It is produced only when the quality of the harvest warrants it.
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