91 points from Robert Parker… 'Marcoux's Vielles Vignes cuvee can be one of the greatest red wines made in the world (the 1989 and 1990, for example), if not the single most phenomenal wine of Chateauneuf du Pape. It possesses a level of concentration and a vivid blackberry/blueberry fruitiness that are mind-boggling…. The 1994 Chateauneuf du Pape Vieilles Vignes appears to be an awesome wine. The opaque dark ruby/purple color is accompanied by a sensational nose of crushed black fruits, licorice, and truffles. Full-bodied, with magnificent extraction of fruit and a layered, viscous texture, this unctuous, super-concentrated wine has plenty of tannin lurking behind the ostentatious display of richness. This is a dazzling Chateauneuf du Pape for drinking between 1998-2012.'
France
- When it comes to wine, France stands alone. No other country can beat it in terms of quality and diversity. And while many of its Region, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne most obviously, produce wine as rare, as sought-after and nearly as expensive as gold, there are just as many obscurities and values to be had from little known appellations throughout the country. To learn everything there is to know about French wine would take a lifetime. To understand and appreciate French wine, one only has to begin tasting them.
Rhone
- Legendary wine-producing region in southeast France. Stereotypically speaking, Rhone wines are high in alcohol, and the majority produced is red. The northern Rhone is best known for outstanding 100% Syrah wines from areas such as Cote Rotie and Hermitage, as well as for fabulous white wines from Condrieu (where Viognier is king). In the southern Rhone, look for spicy, full-bodied wines that are blends of Grenache, Syrah, and other varietals coming from appellations such as Chateauneuf du Pape, Gigondas, or Rasteau. Wines labeled as Cote du Rhone or Cotes du Rhone Village (a cut above generic Cotes du Rhone) are frequently found here in the US because they often represent some of the best values on the market.