Rating:
96
James Suckling - Jamessuckling.com
A very dark, structured and full-bodied Chateauneuf-du-Pape with aromas of leather, tar, raw meat and a hint of wild forest berries. Still very youthful and a bit closed, but the abundant fine-grained tannins give this terrific aging potential. A cuvee of 80% grenache, 6% syrah, 4% mourvedre and 10% other traditional grape varieties. Matured for two years in large, neutral oak. Drinkable now, but best from 2027.
Product Description:
Domaine du Pégau is a traditional estate, run with enthusiastic flair by Laurence Féraud and her father, Paul. Laurence prefers working in the cellars, while Paul likes being amid the vines. They make several rich, classic Châteauneuf-du-Papes each year, always to rave reviews and cult-like enthusiasm. The family holds 14 vineyard sites throughout Châteauneuf-du-Pape, totaling 42 acres, where the average vine age is about 50 years; La Crau, one of the oldest of the vineyards, was planted in 1905 on American Riparia stock. In the cellar, tradition rules: no de-stemming, 15-21 days fermentation, then 2-6 years in casks. The intense fruit and aromatics of the wines are not disrupted by filtering, fining or the overuse of sulfur. The uncompromising, generations-old winemaking methods carry on in the current vintages, creating robust, concentrated, powerful reds and a small production of highly aromatic whites. Though composed of mostly old-vine Grenache (80%), the Pegau Châteauneuf-du-Papes include all 13 of the regionally allowed grape varieties.
48+ acres red Châteauneuf-du-Pape (Grenache, Syrah,
Mourvèdre, other authorized varietals including Counoise,
Cinsault, Vaccarèse, more). 3.7 acres white Châteauneufdu-Pape (Clairette, Grenache Blanc, Bourboulenc,
Roussanne), nearly 20 acres of red Vin de Table. CdP
vineyards are located in the communes of Châteauneufdu-Pape, Courthézon (La Crau), and Bédarrides (Cabanes
de Saint Jean and Les Escondudes).-------------------TASTING NOTES
Spicy aromas of ripe red fruit, cassis, toasted herbs,
pepper and roasted meat on the nose. Big, rich and fullbodied on the palate, with a long, lingering finish.-----------------------