The wines from Pegau are exceptional examples of Chateauneuf du Pape, and today we have one with a bit of age. This family has roots since 1670 and has been in the Southern Rhone for centuries. The youngest of the family at the time, Paul, at the young age of 14, began working in the vineyards belonging to his family and, in 1964, decided to bottle his own wine from the family estate, starting very small at a mere 2,000 bottles a year. Paul was soon joined by his Daughter Laurence, who completed her wine business education in 1987 and convinced her family to create an independent estate, which became Pegau. In 1992, the Domaine got its big break and became one of the top three wines of Chateauneuf du Pape. Laurence sold everything she made and continued investing the money into more vineyards. In 2012, they bought a big property that held 41 hectares of vines, which was split between two companies, Domaine Pegau and Chateau Pegau. The Chateau Pegau wines are a collection of lesser wines like Cote du Rhone, while Domaine Pegau are the company's flagship wines. The Cuvee Reservee has always been a standout wine from Pegau, and while it's not their premier bottle, it explains the estate most candidly. It's a classic example of the region made with all 13 accepted grape varietals, mainly featuring Grenache (about 80%) with Syrah and Mourvèdre sourced from clay-limestone soils with a high proportion of iron and sand. Grapes are always hand-harvested and never destemmed, seeing a spontaneous fermentation with Indigenous yeasts in concrete vats before aging for two years in foudre. 2019 was a lovely vintage for the CDP, and the wines show incredible power and elegance with the ability to be approached early due to the excellent presence of fruit. It is an excellent buy for CDP, and after a few years in the bottle, it is starting to drink very well.
Wine Advocate (Joe Czerwinski) 96 points! "As I wrote previously, the 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée looks set to rival the best examples of this bottling. Made up of approximately 80% Grenache, with 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre and smaller amounts of other permitted varieties, it's impressively complex on the nose, with scents of black cherries, blackberries and black olives, plus mysterious wafts of violets and garrigue. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it finishes long and velvety, a sure-fire bet for cellaring. It's gratifying to see wines evolve as expected during their élevage and make it into bottle just as remembered."
Vinous (Nicholas Greinacher) 95 points! "Pungent aromas of crème de cassis, strawberry jam, ripe black cherry, garrigue, white pepper and crushed rocks usher in the 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée. Full-bodied, broad-shouldered, concentrated and layered, it is framed by a firm tannic structure and high levels of fresh acidity, keeping everything in check. The complex finish goes on for well over a minute."
2019 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
2019 Domaine du Pégau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée
The wines from Pegau are exceptional examples of Chateauneuf du Pape, and today we have one with a bit of age. This family has roots since 1670 and has been in the Southern Rhone for centuries. The youngest of the family at the time, Paul, at the young age of 14, began working in the vineyards belonging to his family and, in 1964, decided to bottle his own wine from the family estate, starting very small at a mere 2,000 bottles a year. Paul was soon joined by his Daughter Laurence, who completed her wine business education in 1987 and convinced her family to create an independent estate, which became Pegau. In 1992, the Domaine got its big break and became one of the top three wines of Chateauneuf du Pape. Laurence sold everything she made and continued investing the money into more vineyards. In 2012, they bought a big property that held 41 hectares of vines, which was split between two companies, Domaine Pegau and Chateau Pegau. The Chateau Pegau wines are a collection of lesser wines like Cote du Rhone, while Domaine Pegau are the company's flagship wines. The Cuvee Reservee has always been a standout wine from Pegau, and while it's not their premier bottle, it explains the estate most candidly. It's a classic example of the region made with all 13 accepted grape varietals, mainly featuring Grenache (about 80%) with Syrah and Mourvèdre sourced from clay-limestone soils with a high proportion of iron and sand. Grapes are always hand-harvested and never destemmed, seeing a spontaneous fermentation with Indigenous yeasts in concrete vats before aging for two years in foudre. 2019 was a lovely vintage for the CDP, and the wines show incredible power and elegance with the ability to be approached early due to the excellent presence of fruit. It is an excellent buy for CDP, and after a few years in the bottle, it is starting to drink very well.
Wine Advocate (Joe Czerwinski) 96 points! "As I wrote previously, the 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée looks set to rival the best examples of this bottling. Made up of approximately 80% Grenache, with 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre and smaller amounts of other permitted varieties, it's impressively complex on the nose, with scents of black cherries, blackberries and black olives, plus mysterious wafts of violets and garrigue. Full-bodied, rich and concentrated, it finishes long and velvety, a sure-fire bet for cellaring. It's gratifying to see wines evolve as expected during their élevage and make it into bottle just as remembered."
Vinous (Nicholas Greinacher) 95 points! "Pungent aromas of crème de cassis, strawberry jam, ripe black cherry, garrigue, white pepper and crushed rocks usher in the 2019 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée. Full-bodied, broad-shouldered, concentrated and layered, it is framed by a firm tannic structure and high levels of fresh acidity, keeping everything in check. The complex finish goes on for well over a minute."
