The outstanding 2010 Chateauneuf du Pape Marceau requires several years of cellaring given its structure and more reserved character. Deep and full-bodied, it performed much better out of bottle this year than it did from its pre-bottling stage last year. A dense ruby/purple color is accompanied by sweet black cherry and black currant fruit notes intertwined with hints of flowers, earth, herbs and spice. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring and enjoy it over the following 15+.
Domaine des 3 Cellier represents one-half of the residue of what was previously reviewed under the name Domaine Saint-Benoit. The three Cellier brothers, Ludovic, Julien and Benoit, are the eighth generation of a family of wine growers in Chateauneuf du Pape. They own nearly 35 acres of vines spread throughout 24 different plots, and the wines they have been producing recently are better than what was achieved under the Domaine Saint-Benoit label. The 2011s are close in quality to the estate’s 2010s, with perhaps the advantage of being slightly more open-knit, forward and precocious. The 2010s are made from similar blends.
Importer: Royal Wine Corp., Bayonne, NJ; www.royalwine.com