Marcoux, Chateauneuf du Pape Blanc

Sisters Sophie and Catherine Armenier have elevated Marcoux to the very highest ranks. Today Sophie runs the winery, while her son Vincent looks after the vineyards. There are 25 hectares in total, with 18 hectares right in the heart of the prime Châteauneuf- du-Pape terroir of La Crau plateau with the rest in Lirac and the other Côtes du Rhône villages. Certified as organic by Ecocert as early as 1991, this year marks three decades of rigorous organic and then biodynamic principles. The wines are very colourful and generous, with consistently rich aromas of red fruit. The tannic structure is elegant, and the wines afford very good ageing potential.