In the glass
Aroma: blackcurrant, violet, graphite, iron
Palate: cassis, dark cherry, fine tannin, long mineral length
Old-vine Cabernet Franc from clay-limestone parcels. The estate's structured mid-range cuvee, sitting between Cuvee Domaine and Clos de l'Echelier in profile.
What it pairs with
-
Beef cheek braised in red wine
Long-cooked beef and red-wine reduction meet the wine's iron and graphite spine. -
Roast lamb with thyme and garlic
Herbal lamb and the wine's tobacco-violet register align. -
Mature Beaufort 24 months
Crystalline alpine cheese sharpens the wine's saline mineral length.
History
Marginale is Thierry Germain's old-vine Saumur-Champigny from clay-limestone parcels. The cuvee sits between the village-level Cuvee Domaine and the single-vineyard Clos de l'Echelier.
- 1995 — First vintage of Marginale
Facts
- Producer
- Domaine des Roches Neuves
- Grapes
- Cabernet Franc (100%)
- Classification
- Saumur-Champigny AOC
- Oak
- 16 to 20 months in oak demi-muids, around 20 percent new
- ABV
- 13.0%
- Price
- EUR 38 to 60 at retail
- Drinking window
- 6 to 20 from vintage
- First vintage
- 1995
- Biodynamic
- Demeter Certified
- Organic
- DEMETER
- Vegan
- Yes (no animal-derived fining)
Scores
- Wine Advocate 92 (2018 vintage, reviewed 2020)
Frequently asked about Marginale
What does Marginale taste like?
Blackcurrant, violet, graphite and iron on the nose; cassis, dark cherry, fine tannin and a long mineral length on the palate. Full-bodied with firm tannins and high acidity.
When should I drink Marginale?
Drink between 6 and 20 years from vintage. Decant 45 to 60 minutes for young vintages.
What food pairs with Marginale?
Beef cheek braised in red wine, roast lamb with thyme and garlic, and mature Beaufort 24 months are all strong matches.
What grapes are in Marginale?
100 percent Cabernet Franc, from old-vine clay-limestone parcels at Domaine des Roches Neuves, farmed under Demeter biodynamic certification.