News
January 28, 2025
The Release of Our Vieux Marc de Châteauneuf-du-Pape: An Elixir from Our Limestone Parcels
At Domaine Tourbillon, Benjamin's passion for viticulture and respect for our terroir is evident in every bottle we produce. We've always made a point of offering products that reflect the authenticity and excellence of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and today we're proud to present a rare treasure: our Vieux Marc de Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This exceptional spirit is the fruit of our limestone plots, where every grape is carefully cultivated and every stage of production is carried out with the utmost precision.
Our Philosophy: The Search for Perfection
The Vieux Marc we are offering for sale today is not simply a distilled spirit, but a veritable alchemy, a product that embodies the essence of our estate. Our vineyards, located on limestone soils in the .... district, benefit from a unique terroir that gives our grapes a rare richness and complexity. We have chosen to cultivate our plots with absolute respect for nature, favoring sustainable, environmentally-friendly methods. This in-depth work guarantees grapes of exceptional quality, the very basis of our vinification and the distillation of our vieux Marc.
Rigorous grape selection
At Domaine Tourbillon, we know that everything starts with the vine. We cultivate our grape varieties with particular attention to grape maturity. Our limestone plots, rich in minerals, give the grapes concentrated aromas and a unique minerality. Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre, Châteauneuf-du-Pape's flagship grape varieties, are harvested by hand, selected one by one for their perfect ripeness. This care for the vines is essential to guarantee a quality end product.
Vinification: a crucial stage
Once harvested, the grapes are immediately vinified according to our methods, which we have perfected over the years. We prefer a slow, controlled fermentation process to release the full aromatic richness of the fruit. After fermentation, the solid residues - skins, stalks and seeds - are separated from the juice for distillation. It is these “apples”, full of concentrated aromas, that we use to create our Marc.
Distillation: The Heart of the Craft
Our vieux Marc is distilled in alembics, traditional equipment that preserves all the product's aromatic richness. We distill the residues from the wine-making process slowly, to obtain a pure alcohol that is already rich in aromas. The first distillation fraction, the “head”, is systematically rejected, as it contains undesirable volatile elements. We keep only the “heart” of the distillation, which contains the finest aromas, and age it patiently.
Oak Barrel Aging: Elegant Maturation
Ageing is the stage that transforms our Marc into a true elixir. Once distilled, our Marc is placed in oak casks for several years. This ageing is essential for Marc to develop its full complexity and roundness. The oak, with its tannins and vanilla aromas, allows the Marc to harmonize perfectly with the fruity and spicy aromas present in the spirit. As the spirit ages, notes of dried fruit, prunes and hazelnut mingle with woody, leathery and tobacco nuances, creating an incomparable depth.
We've let time do its work, because we know that only time will reveal the full richness of this spirit. Prolonged aging in our oak casks gives our Vieux Marc the roundness, smoothness and complexity that make it a rare and elegant product.
Bottling: Finalizing our know-how
After at least 4 years of ageing, the time has come to bottle our vieux Marc. It is only at this stage that the Marc reaches full maturity. Before bottling, it is delicately filtered to guarantee its purity, but we take care never to alter its character. Each bottle is an invitation to discover the richness and complexity of our terroir.
Tasting: An explosion of aromas
Domaine Tourbillon's Vieux Marc is a spirit of great finesse. To the eye, it reveals a beautiful amber color, a sign of its long aging in oak barrels. On the nose, a festival of aromas unfolds: intense notes of dried fruit, currants and prunes mingle with deeper hints of leather, chocolate and sweet spices. On the palate, the texture is silky, almost velvety, and the flavors are of great elegance: aromas of walnut, vanilla and honey are balanced by a hint of honey.
