September 2013

Vieux Marc 1992,

Pibarnon’s hidden treasure!

Vieux Marc Announcement – Exception Announcement – Party Announcement – Tradition Announcement

Although the international reputation of Château de Pibarnon’s wines has already been made, its Mourvèdre Vieux Marc, produced in small quantities, has not yet been discovered. An ancestral tradition, it makes the ideal, original present for the gourmet aesthete and the curious wine enthusiast.

Pibarnon’s Vieux Marc: the embodiment of the Mourvèdre grape variety

As Bandol’s iconic grape variety, in Pibarnon’s Vieux Marc, Mourvèdre expresses its own nobility and that of its unique local soil.

/ Just like the Grand Marcs of Burgundy, Pibarnon’s Vieux Marc is produced from the marc of grapes removed from their bunches after pressing. The marc is then stored in vats sheltered from the air, once the wines have been removed from the vats.
Distillation usually takes place in small copper stills (holding about 250 kg of marc) in early January, when the wine-making process is complete and the wine has been put into barrels. The still is heated over a wood fire and undergoes four “passes” a day, each producing 25 litres of alcohol at 60° C.

Eric de Saint Victor has refined this age-old distillation process so that only the noble alcohols are kept, that is to say the heart of the heat (between the head and tail alcohols), which are fuller, finer and more fragrant.

Every year, the estate calls on the expertise of Mr Bartholomo, a cooper renowned for his barrels which produce the greatest Armagnacs.

Aging takes place only in casks of sessile oak [Quercus petraea], about 70% of them new, the rest being older, so as not to affect the marc too much, as it is the porous nature of the wood which facilitates slow maturation by indirect contact between the brandy and the ambient air, as well as the subtle and gradual colouring of its robe.

After being kept for 20 years, the temperature is gradually reduced to 42.5°C by evaporation – the famous “angel’s share”.

The marc is then bottled without filtering.

A precious elixir

Pibarnon’s Vieux Marc expresses the refinement of a traditional brandy combined with the Latin charms of the Mourvèdre grape variety.

Its nose is suave and elegant. It develops complex aromas of raisins, prunes and delicate spices combined with southern notes of pepper and the Provençal heathland.
Its mouth is clean, opening to a pleasant mellowness and extending to a sensuous length suggesting liquorice.
It can be drunk as a liqueur, of course, in good company, by the fireside. Choose “balloon” glasses like those used for the great white liqueurs which magnify the refinement and complexity of this beautiful spirit.
For an adventurous and creative cook, this elixir could also be used to flambé certain party dishes such as Bresse pullet or to fry escalopes of foie gras. What a treat!
Sold in wooden cases, it also makes an excellent present for a gourmet aesthete or a curious wine enthusiast. /

Château de Pibarnon’s Vieux Marc de Mourvèdre 1992

is sold by the best cellarers at € 50 for a 70 cl bottle.

Château de Pibarnon

Tel: 04 94 90 12 73

Press Office

Agence Force 4/ Sophie Morgaut-Lejeune

Tel: 01 44 40 27 30.

Contact: Aurélie Rovanik.