France — wine

Marcillac

France's most idiosyncratic and overlooked red wine appellation in the Massif Central foothills above the Lot Valley in Aveyron, producing wines exclusively from Fer Servadou (locally called Mansoi or Brun de Lot) — a variety related to no other known grape. The red sandstone and schist soils of the 'rougier' (red earth) impart an extraordinary iron-mineral character. Marcillac wines have a haunting transparency, wild raspberry character, and an almost medicinal mineral quality unlike any French wine.

Year Rating Notes
2022 Outstanding Marcillac vintage; Fer Servadou from red sandstone showed extraordinary iron mineral character and wild raspberry transparency.
2021 Elegant vintage; cool Massif Central conditions produced Mansoi wines of exceptional freshness and the characteristic iron mineral.
2020 Benchmark year; Jean-Luc Matha and Domaine du Cros produced internationally acclaimed natural Marcillac wines.
2019 Outstanding vintage; natural wine community's discovery of Marcillac in force; Fer Servadou's character celebrated internationally.
2018 Solid vintage; the red sandstone rougier expressed itself with unusual clarity in the Mansoi wines of this year.