97 Points Vinous
Impressive depth of colour for the vintage, this is extremely round, fresh, clear and well-defined. Tannins are present and fairly strict in style, but they're ripe, and all in all this is exceptionally promising. Not huge in fruit or body, but well-balanced and precise. from 120-year-old vines planted on north-facing clay and sand lieux-dits of Charbonnières and Esquières. Fermented in concrete, aged in foudre
97 Points Vinous
A towering effort, the 2020 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Vieilles Vignes soars from the glass with pristine crème de cassis, raspberry jam, black plum, scorched earth, incense, mint, exotic spice and white pepper aromas. The precision of the individual perfumes has a laser-like quality rarely seen in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. Full-bodied and framed by ever-so-velvety tannins, it reaches a spherical dimension in the mouth. The recent adoption of 3,000-liter Austrian oak barrels beautifully contributed to the shape of this wine, giving it terrific poise and tension.
95 Points Wine Spectator
This has power and concentration to the graphite- and smoke-edged black fig and currant flavors, with a steely mineral undercurrent and charred aniseed. In spite of the decadent fruit profile, this has a nice framework and lovely salinity driving freshness and impressive length. A blockbuster red with staying power. Best from 2024 through 2035.
93 Points Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2020 Chateauneuf du Pape—80% Grenache, with small amounts of Syrah, Mourvèdre and Cinsault—features complex aromas of crushed stone, garrigue, licorice and ripe cherries. It's full-bodied but also lively and zesty, firm across the mid-palate, then softly dusty on the lingering finish.
93 Points Jeb Dunnuck
Vibrant black cherries, mulberries, peppery herbs, and spice are just some of the nuances in the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape, an utterly classic Châteauneuf du Pape that's medium to full-bodied, has the vintage's seamless profile, ultra-fine tannins, and a great finish. This beautiful, quintessential effort can be enjoyed any time over the coming 15 years or more. The 2020 is a normal blend of 80% Grenache, 10% Mourvedre, 7% Syrah, and the rest Cinsault, brought up mostly in concrete tank, but with 20% in tronconique tanks and 5% in old barrels.
Winemaker Note
The Châteauneuf-du-Pape Rouge from Domaine de Marcoux is sourced from 13 different sites, allowing for a wine that is both dense but pure and lifted, with beguiling aromatics. In general, this wine is inclined towards red fruit flavors with a smoky stoniness that emerges with age.
