Tasting Notes 887 found

Decanted for sediment and consumed over 2 hours. Tar, tobacco, black fruit, and spice on the palate. Quite smooth and tannins are fully integrated. Will enjoy my last bottle before the year’s end. (784 views)

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Birthday party (Chicago, IL): From magnum. Not typically a fan of Pégau, but this is first, not dirty and bretty, and second, not overripe the way you would expect in 2003. It's definitely sweet and big, but there's no burned fruit here. Impressive for what it is, though it's definitely not my style of wine. (1289 views)

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Fantastic. Some red fruit and structure. In a great place (850 views)

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Domaine Pegau 1995-2008 Vertical: Nose: 89+, Palate: 91
My #9, Group's #9. Tasted Blind. (1131 views)

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Lacking fruit yet still austere at this point. Perhaps a bit unbalanced on the tannin/acid side? A bit beyond its prime but still enjoyable. (1499 views)

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Def a bit past peak w quite a bit of barnyard funk even couple hours after opening (maybe too much Brett). Quite jammy and fruit forward, mostly dried fruit / raisin aromas. Also get a lot of woody notes. To put it bluntly, jam smeared on slightly rotting wood. But the structure is impressive, good acid and alcohol balance w the subtle tannins. when at peak (or w less Brett) it was probably quite marvelous w the barnyard funk presumably substituted w complex forest floor aromas. (1523 views)

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ESTG does Pegau-Palooza (Seattle, WA, USA): Oh wow, deep, powerful, SWEET, pure, impressively tannic, wow, wow, wow, such an intense palate and deep core of fruit. (1968 views)

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Popped, poured, consumed over next 60 minutes. Singing from the first sip, but still improved in the glass. This was very good 8 years ago and it has developed very well in the cellar. (1991 views)

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Concentrated and intense, deep and gripping. Super fruit, bordering on over ripe. Lovely garrigue element, but in the end I was not compelled by this. (1887 views)

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Ruby red in color. 13.5% ABV. Breathtaking nose of red fruits, roasted herbs, iron and flowers. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Perfectly balanced and showing none of the roasted characteristics often associated with '03 CdP. Kirsch, raspberry liqueur, blood and cracked black pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. For me this is the wine of the vintage. Best over the next 3-5 years. (2168 views)

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The complex aromatics pop with smoked herbs, cherries, mint, potpourri, black pepper and Christmas spice. The palate is equal to the nose with its core of wild cherries, plums, herbs, and olives. There is depth, lift and length, along with fabulous textures on the palate. This is one of the best wines from the torrid 2003 vintage, which produced so many failing wines. Drink from 2023-2028. (3236 views)

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Restaurant purchase. Pricey but worth it. Even at 20 years, colour was deep, impenetrable ruby red. Some fine sediment thrown, but miminal. Initial nose quite dry; mellowed somewhat, but remained dominated by leathery, smokey tones. Exceptional on the palate, smooth and round, with freshness remaining from the grenache. Strong - but very refined - tannins remained; lingering finish that was satisfying and moreish. Beastly CdP in the best way. Great spot for drinking now, probably approaching a peak, but certainly not sprinting downhill, I'm sure will comfortably last a bit longer still. 97 for mine. (2116 views)

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May be the age, but I’ve had substantial variation with these. Maybe 6-7 years ago this vintage was one of my favorite wines. In the last couple of years some bottles have been very good, others less so. This one was from the coravin. Nose is woody and leather. Very opaque wine with lots of sediment. On the palate red fruit and the tannins are still present though rounded and fading. The fruit is still live but a slight hint of stewed makes me think this is on the down side. Minor alcohol heat on the finish.

Update: after 3 glasses from the coravin I opened it up. Significant difference. The stewed notes blew off and this is drinking similar to some of the previous good bottles. Updated rating from 87 to 93. I have 2 left and will drink them up soon. (2175 views)

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Cork looked terrible, but the fill was perfect, very impressive - and so is the wine. This has a core of iron and minerals, it's turning towards a more elegant feel. Plenty of sweet Grenache in the background,m perfectly balanced and no sign of the 2003 heat. Loving it once again.
#podcast (2606 views)

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In a great place right now, but but no rush; plenty of life left. Just a great CDP. Opened about 7 hours before and then decanted immediately before drinking. That should have been plenty given my experience with the last bottle but it needed more. Still a bit closed when we started drinking but opened up beautifully in the decanter and in the glass. (1837 views)

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Been way too long since I have had one of these. My bad. What a wine. Mature brick red color. Wild nose of sweet dark fruit, garrique, spring flowers and worchestershire. Wow! Totally mature Sweet, full but not heavy, great finish. I have a number of these left and will drink over next few years. Great CdP. (97) (2801 views)

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Similar to last bottle if a little more subtle and more forestry. Just so good. (2945 views)

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From the coravin. Significantly better than the last bottle. Aging well but I would guess at or near peak. Light color, nice fruit still, tanins are still grippy but really nice balance. (2732 views)

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From magnum. Really just amazing. Still quite vibrant but everything has mellowed into just a perfect example of why I love these wines.
Sadly my last bottle. (2833 views)

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Wow, a complete stunner. Popped and poured the '03 Pegau and served alongside a rustic pasta with chicken hearts, thyme and sage.

Immediately, upon first-pour, the wine presented a dark, vibrant color with a slight garnet core. On the nose, an explosion of licorice, valrhona, espresso, dark cherries and herbs, with subtle notes of garrigue. A truly memorable nose that I suspect will stick with me for years.

In the mouth, equally impressive, deep and complex, with tannins integrated to perfection, medium to full bodied and beautifully balanced. Matching the nose - the wine revealed gorgeous dark cherry, herbs and chocolate, setting up a long and sumptuous finish.

A peak expression of CDP, at the perfect moment in it's drinking window. Could probably hold well for another 5-7 years, but now is really the time to drink these beauties.

94 points on the night, superb. (2861 views)

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This bottle was fantastic, ripe, spicy and savage; drinking exceptionally well. Nothing overripe or tired in this bottle. (2991 views)

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Great Pegau, consistent with my review in 2019. Great complex nose with notes of barnyard, iron and ripe black fruits. But based on this bottle I would finish drinking this vintage in the coming 5 years. Light orange-brick translucent colour. Smooth and silky on the palate, medium long finish. (2076 views)

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Found a bottle that had a tiny amount of leakage in the shipping box, a bit stuck to the styrofoam. Removed capsule and the cork was slightly depressed, but came out in two pieces. Smelled great, left open for two hours before dinner. WOW, just drinking perfectly, and will probably last for some time. Amazing stuff, if you like CDP, and Pegau. Yum. Another wine from Premier Cru, when they were legitimate. (2114 views)

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Tried again bf UW game. Sunken cork. Borderline D4. Could be evh with more air. (2039 views)

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So bummed only 1 more bottle. Drinking superbly right now. 2 hour decant and it was open and ready to go. (2188 views)

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For a wine that has over 800 TN, there are not too many that are very descriptive (maybe that's why?). In any case, this is clearly a very well made bottle that will please a wide variety of constituents. At this point, color is medium/dark crimson with a bit of violet left in the center of the glass. Nose is a very pleasant mixture of old world earthiness and seriousness with a strong element of ne world ripe red fruits, most notably cherry and raspberry. Tannins are still present though fading a bit - still enough to hold the wine together and merit a relatively high score. We drank this decanted and felt that our impeccably stored bottle held up very well, perhaps in a bit of a contrast to some of the other notes. Not exactly a bargain at current prices but a strong showing by this domaine and a legitimate expression of this wonderful terroir. (2225 views)

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ESTG does Southern Rhone and Provence (Seattle, WA, USA): Wow deeply ripe, a bit oxidative, almost over the top. (2886 views)

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Showed well. Tonight I preferred the 2005 PEGAU Cuvée Laurence. (2153 views)

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Commanderie des Costes du Rhone - Spring 2023 Kick-off (Gabriel Kruether): A wine that I quite enjoy esp given the year that it was made. I think she might have done one of the best jobs in keeping some good balance there (perhaps the benefit of some whole cluster). Dark black fruits and a bit of spice. (2944 views)

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On opening, fairly closed. After 2hrs in decanter, cherry, spice and a slight funk. On the palate, slightly tannic, but pleasant notes of cinnamon and blackcurrant, cherries.

After 6hrs, this wine was humming, just beautiful and silky, with stunning fruits and spice, and perfectly integrated. A joy of a wine. (2370 views)

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Stunning. Accompanied a rich shepherd's pie. Started with best intentions via a Coravin with a bit of airing but we decided to pop the bottle. Soft, integrated, fruit and minerality on the nose. Fruit first on the mouth, with spice and an loamy backbone. Deep red colour, minimal bricking. Long and smooth finish. This has definitely been worth the wait. (2089 views)

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Outstanding CdP. Very smooth, well integrated wine. Fruit remains forward but blended beautifully with smooth tannins and the tiniest bit of funk. Really in a great place right now. (2325 views)

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Solid but showing a bit of age, I'd drink any time. No brett and a nice mouthful of fruit with acidity to keep it interesting. (2187 views)

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Rhone Birthday 2022; 11/4/2022-11/6/2022: Had many times before but not in almost 10yrs. Still a powerful ripe wine with a black fruited profile. Seems a little thin now and showing it's alcohol but still has a terrific core of spice notes and kirsch. Lengthy finish.
Surprisingly held up well on night 2. I may have underestimated this. (2699 views)

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Pop and pour into a decanter, with significant amounts of sediment - filter recommended. On the nose, some port-like prune elements, but also raspberries, kirsch, and a faint hint of funk. Given an hour in the decanter, the reductive prune notes faded away. In the glass, auburn at the rim, shading gradually to auburn/maroon at the core. On the nose, some prunes and raspberries for the first hour, but the oxidative elements receded into the background, revealing currants, damp wood, beef blood, and something less like port and more like sherry. This is definitely mature, and should be opened sooner rather than later, but it still seems to have some life. (2495 views)

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First I admit I’m a big Pegau & CNP fan and was a bit worried looking at recent scores when I popped this, but I was thrilled with this wine. For an “entry level” wine it was at its peak and showed no signs of slipping.
I’ve got 2 bottles left and will plan on drinking another a year from now. (2666 views)

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This bottle had a slight metallic note, otherwise see prior TNs (2729 views)

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18 months ago this was drinking beautifully. Tonight after 3+hours of decanting it tastes harsh and overbearing Not much improved after 6 hours. Day2 a bit more approachable (2504 views)

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Lush, ripe, silky soft tannins...lovely finish (2508 views)

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As good as ever. Provence in a bottle, garrigue, lavender, rustic cherry fruit. Iron and beef blood as I usually find in Pegau. Bring on the red meat…. (2553 views)

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Historically one of my favorite wines and this is the lowest score I have ever given this vintage. PNP. I think (hope) my score here is reflective of a somewhat compromised bottle. Last one I drank was a few years ago and I found the fruit on this one to be somewhat fading. The cork showed signs of seepage all the way to the top, so it might just be a storage issue. 4 left. we will see. Prolly time to drink up anyway. (2926 views)

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Dark ruby red. Solid color, and youthful. Lovely enchanting nose, deep and complex. Smooth and drinkable, fine tannins. Dark finish. Spectacular wine drinking very well now and will continue for 5 to 10 years. (3126 views)

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Nose of the forest. Very pungent. Taste of stone and flesh and grassy. Leather as well, raisin. Very textured mouth feel. Well balanced. Very unique pegau flare. Excellent. (2658 views)

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Stored at textbook conditions since release (12°C). Ruby with a bit of orange hue in thin layers. Puh, from the start, pnp, it first seems restrained and even a bit closed. But within 15 minutes or so it slowly opens up with notes of raspberries, cherries, iodine, licorice, anis, forest floor, bramble, beef blood all appearing in the first hour after opening. Later chamomille and some flowery notes. The nose shows more complexity than the palate. On the palate it is smooth, but still with a bit of a tannic backbone. The overall balance is outstanding to extraordinary with outstanding and with time from the opened and partly emptied bottle eytraordinary intensity and a sexiness that isn't rationally describable. 5/15/19/9. -2030 The changes of scents continues over more than two hours, presenting all the above mentioned scents. There are some years ahead if perfectly cellared since release, but the end of the perfect drinking window is less than ten years away I guess. As Jeb Dunnuck says in 2014: "...but I see no reason to delay gratification." (2990 views)

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Medium ruby red, some fade, slightly muddy; anise, cherry, sandal wood and varnish, dusty spices and cracked brick, no real obvious brett although just a slight earthy funkiness; on the palate--excellent balance despite being '03, dried cherry, clay, earthy fruits, silky, med. body, not overly hot or alcoholic, soft fine tannins resolving, really nice with great lift in the tangy finish. Impressed with this. 93+ DD CdP dinner Lawry's. (3085 views)

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Started soundly with classic pegau animal and punch but quickly became too much unless we chilled it to put it back in its place. A battle. (3026 views)

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Spice and leather come through a bit more with dried currant at this stage, which is a bit disappointing but still interesting. Hopefully, this is indicative merely of a phase rather than decline. Fortunately, the 03 did pair nicely with wild venison loin but did not fair as well by itself. We’ll see in several more years how my last bottle fares. Meanwhile, I can always reminisce about visiting CDP in 07 with my wife and peeking through the cracked door at the end of the alley with the small wooden sign above it - Pegau - a hidden surprise and wonderful degustation memory. (2684 views)

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John's. Showed very well for such a hot vintage. Alcohol's in check and the Rhonish fruit is layered and complex. Not quite as animalistic as Pegaus can be, but all things considered still excellent. (2953 views)

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I've had considerable variation in the past. This was was somewhere in the middle - very good, but not the wow wine the last bottle was. Smooth, well balanced and fairly rich, but not OTT. Some gamy notes, but not as much as the last bottle; nice long finish (A-). (2716 views)

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Medium to dark red color. Ripe dark cherry bouquet. Garrigue herbs and rich cherry fruit flavor. Surprisingly youthful, it has a huge mouth filling concentrated taste and long, long finish. A monster! (2844 views)

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The cork was soaked through as well as the neck showed lots of leaking. Super funky off the start - undrinkable really. After an hour in the decanter this came along beautifully. (2731 views)

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Absolutely screaming good! Ripe, screaming garrigue, peppery, herbal, so ripe, yet so vibrant, chewy and powerful. This is an extreme vintage for sure, but it is working well for Pegau. I have had 20 bottles from my cellar with 6 more to go. This is just a wonderful wine! (3939 views)

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Corked. Lovely sweet fruit behind. (2878 views)

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First bottle corked but with really expressive sweet fruit. The second was clean but the fruit a little lighter and calmer. Still a big wine this has calmed a lot to a sweet older Grenache based beauty. (3040 views)

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Long past its prime. Unfortunately. (2695 views)

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Ready to drink but can keep for 3 more years. Like previous note (2836 views)

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Shelly (2503 views)

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Kleur: Helder. Licht robijnrood met een oranjebruine vleug. Aroma / bouquet: Prachtig, verfijnd bouquet. Uiteraard niet meer explosief, maar met een indrukwekkende complexiteit. Zacht zoetige kruidigheid, gedroogde pruimen, kruidkoek. Een subtiel pepertje. Smaak / Afdronk: In de mond is dit voor mij dè ultieme gerijpte Ch9dP. Een subtiel zachte zuurgraad. Boterzachte en verfijnde tannines die deze wijn echter na 18 jaar nog steeds structuur en kracht geven. Maar vooral: geen spoor van de fenolische onrijpheid (hittegolfjaar, vroege oogst, rijp fruit maar met onrijpe pitjes) die zich vooral in de afdronk van wijnen uit dit jaar kan presenteren. Ongelofelijk lange afdronk. Algemeen / potentieel: PERFECTIE!!! Mijn beste 'belegen' Ch9dP ooit. En blijkbaar niet toevallig ook het favoriete jaar van de wijnmaakster. Een werkelijk briljante wijn. En daarom mijn maximale score. Op dit moment optimaal. Ik twijfel over de inschatting van Parker (tot 2035???). Wat mij betreft binnen nu en twee-drie jaar drinken. Maar ik weet niet of ik dat geduld kan opbrengen voor de resterende twee flessen. 50 + Kleur: 5 + Aroma / bouquet: 15 + Smaak / Afdronk: 20 + Algemeen / potentieel: 10 = 100/100

Color: Clear. Light ruby ​​red with an orange-brown hint. Aroma / bouquet: Beautiful, refined bouquet. No longer explosive, of course, but with impressive complexity. Mildly sweet spiciness, dried plums, spice cake. A subtle pepper. Taste / Aftertaste: In the mouth this is the ultimate matured Ch9dP for me. A subtly soft acidity. Buttery and refined tannins that still give this wine structure and strength after 18 years. But above all: no trace of the phenolic immaturity (heat wave year, early harvest, ripe fruit but with unripe seeds) that can especially manifest itself in the aftertaste of wines from this year. Incredibly long finish. Overall / potential: PERFECTION!!! My best 'mature' Ch9dP ever. And apparently not coincidentally also the favorite year of the winemaker. A truly brilliant wine. And therefore my maximum score. Optimal at the moment. I doubt Parker's estimate (until 2035???). As far as I'm concerned, drinking within now and two-three years. But I don't know if I can have that patience for the remaining two bottles. 50 + Colour: 5 + Aroma / Bouquet: 15 + Taste / Aftertaste: 20 + General / Potential: 10 = 100/100 (3358 views)

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First of four bottles. Medium nose, acid was somewhat disjointed. Aftertaste lasted for days, fruit still preset though in the background. Pretty solid though not sure if it lived up to hype. (2465 views)

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Crimson in color. 13.5% ABV. Showstopping nose of red fruits, garrigue, plums and pepper. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Clean, elegant and refined. None of the problematic notes I often associate with the '03 vintage. Kirsch, roasted herbs, dried cherries and a hint of white pepper on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. A complete triumph for the vintage and in the conversation for best Pégaü of the decade. Drink over the next 2-3 years. (2826 views)

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This was a fantastic wine. The moment the cork was popped, the bouquet exploded from the bottle. Great fruit, nice harmony. Sadly my last bottle! (3031 views)

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Served with other 2003's, this is the real McCoy; blood, iron galore, plenty of beef, this is tell tale Pegau - still going strong, to say the least.
Bagnols-en-Forêt (3560 views)

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Monday Night Football and Grand Cru (Chicago, IL): Probably one of the cleanest bottles of Pegau that I can remember having. The nose is ripe and shows just a little bit of confected sweetness, but overall it is not over the top. The palate is drying out, but there is still enough sweetness from the fruit to counterbalance the somewhat coarse and clumsy tannins. Quite drinkable, even if it is lacking a bit in acid. (3567 views)

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Wow! Jeb nailed this! Reminded me of the 05 Beaucastel....Burgundian in nature, but Rhone fruit that can't be held back. One could almost sip this all night (if it would last that long). Outstanding (2614 views)

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I have always felt that 2003 is the best reserve, although there are so many great Pegau's.
The nose is fantastic, expressive with clean flavors like herbs, tobacco and pepper. There's wonderful sweet fruit and plenty of structure to balance ending in a long finish with quite some punch.
I think the palate was at least just as good 10 years ago with tons of sweet fruit, but the nose is worth the wait. Anyway a great Pégau.

I should add that theres an extra dimension to this with food. (2974 views)

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Outstanding CdP that is at it's peak. Beautiful spice and dark red fruit that could stand up to a rich meal or delicate cuisine. Brought back memories of France. (2843 views)

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Beautiful CdP. Classic herbal notes with garrigue and ripe fruit. The bouquet is really expressive. The fruit showed more overripe on the second night with some raisin flavors. But the texture was so silky on night 2 that I really did not mind. Nicely balanced with fresh acidity and a firm backbone of lightly grippy tannins. A great Pegau for sure and drinking at peak (3197 views)

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Popped'n poured at a wine dinner with friends at Mark's Duck House - outstanding bottle, and in a great place. (2808 views)

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Glass: Riedel Vinum Syrah
Popped and poured, drunk over two days. Clear, deep garnet color with tawny reflexes. Clean, almost pronounced developing nose. Fine tobacco, Amarena Cherry, dried herbs (Garrique), sweet red fruit, smoke, speck. Very deep, complex round and beautiful.
Dry, 14% abv well balanced by the high acidity. Velvet high tannin, full bodied. On the palate “Mon Cherie” toffees, sweet fruit, espresso, tobacco and garden herbs. Lots of extract. Beautiful balance, silky texture. Very deep. Long, elegant and deep finish, the high alcohol only manifested itself at the very end. Drinks beautiful right now, but will probably stay on this level for another decade. 94 (3068 views)

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Brought to friends to share with fajitas

I stood this for 2 weeks to insure settlement of the sediment.

Very ripe viscous and a tad of prune on the finish. The garrique bramble of younger pegau has faded.
I will drink my remaining bottles over the next two years (2966 views)

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Cedar, mushroom, leather. Still great with fruit fading. (2793 views)

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barnyard, blue fruits, still fresh and ripe fruits. palate is resolved and silky, med+ finish. excellent now (1674 views)

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This had the classic 2003 pruny notes on the nose, but then beautiful red fruits on the palate and a touch of steeliness on the finish. No idea how to score this. (3181 views)

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Why not bookend this wonderful vacation with two of my favorite vintages of Pegau? The ‘04 kicked things off with a bag and I am now really enjoying the 2003. The color is garnet. The nose is earth, dark berry fruit preserves and garrigue. Big, rustic palate that has a rough velvet texture and bold force. This bottle is mature. I have a bunch left and will check back in soon. (95) (3225 views)

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Big rich, slightly rustic. Massive structure of tannin, moderate acidity. very full bodied, very high alcohol. Long, complex. Drink now and over the next 15 years. Too big for me but I once tasted one of these super extracted CNDP at 30 years old and it was a different and far more wonderful wine. (3242 views)

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PNP. Outstanding Pegau. Drinking perfectly now. (3006 views)

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Clearly at the top of the pyramid for the vintage, as the wine manages to avoid the pitfalls from the excessive heat, here you find a concentrated, lusciously styled, earthy, garrigue-filled wine with an array of spices, an herb garden and waves of ripe, sweet, peppery, red fruits with green olive tints and a finish that does not want to quit. Popped and poured, this is really playing at the top of its game. (5503 views)

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Super ripe but not quite over the top, enough tannins to give the wine structure, and secondaries including brett that give shoe polish complexity. Intense and savory, drinking well now but should continue to drink well for many years. Better than I expected given the vintage. (3042 views)

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Corked (3637 views)

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Rich and full-bodied with spice, herbs. Drinking extremely well right now. (3479 views)

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Last tasted 2 years ago. Decanted for two hours. Drinking very well and a lot better than other producers’ 2003 chateauneuf du papes eg Usseglio cuvee de mon aieul and Clos des Papes. A great reminder of what a good mature CNDP should taste like (despite the vintage?) (3706 views)

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Popped'n poured with dinner at La Piquette in DC. Not quite at the level of other recent bottles of the '03 (this bottle had more of the Pegau funk than usual) but still a very good bottle and a great pairing with the cassoulet. (3451 views)

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The best Châteauneuf-du-Pape, and the best Rhone wine I have ever had the pleasure of having. The first bottle of this vintage. It could not be in a better place, everything is in harmony. I decanted for 4 hours before dinner (short ribs). Incredibly smooth, tannin resolved into the background sweet dark fruits - raspberry, cherry, huckleberry, spicebox,and leather. Incredibly smooth, acidity is well balanced with long finish. Wish I had more than a couple bottles I have left. Incredible wine! (3702 views)

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Double Blind Virtual tasting (Chicagoland IL): Double blind. Black and blue fruit both ripe and balanced. Thought N Rhone. Very good now, no hurry to drink, surprising for 2003. (4030 views)

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This bottle was a slight disappointment compared to other recent bottles. Even after a couple hours of air, it was very shy. The typical pepper, dirt, meat, olives and spring flowers were only subtly emerging. Palate lacked body. Not horrible but not to level of other 2003 PRs. (3219 views)

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Popped and poured. This is in a great place. Lovely nose of raspberry, plum, garrique, and spice. The wine is still reasonably intense, but is showing signs of early maturity. Red fruits, smoked meats and herbs come through with noticeable tannins still lingering. This wine shows none of the heat you might expect from this vintage and is truly unfolding as a lovely long lived wine. (3723 views)

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Delicious (3504 views)

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Garnet with slight orange tinted rim. By far the best of the trio 2000, 2001, 2003 and the most long-lived and freshest. Intense, open, ready from the start and at peak since many years. Multiple fruits, beginning with strawberries, mulberries, raspberries, cherries, leather, spices and multiple herbs. I had few reds with that much play and intensity. Long, with smooth but low levels of tannin, enough acidity to be perfectly balanced. Insane long lastin finish. This can indeed only loose with more bottle age! At perfection and one of the greatest I ever had. 5/15/20/10 -2030 if perfectly stored, but it can not be any better. The only question that remains is, why didn't I buy more bottles of this, instead of the da Capo. (3541 views)

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Opened and decanted before dinner, but this was unapproachable due to the "Pegau funk" which never blew off. A glass left overnight exhibited less of it, but I couldn't get past it - was like inhaling a stable.

I've had the '06 which I enjoyed and which didn't have this level of brett, but now need to make a decision as to whether to sell the '09's and 10's of these or whether I just assume that this bottle was an outlier... (3431 views)

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One of my fave CdP’s. Pulling the cork was like letting a genie out of the bottle. The aroma damned near filled the room. Decanted for two hours and I don’t think this particular bottle needed it. So deep, so complex. Could go on and on with descriptors and still not cover them all. If you find it, buy it! (3245 views)

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Phenomenal wine. Dominated by secondary flavors, unlike the 2004 tasted recently, which was more balanced between primary fruit and secondary. Both are fantastic, though I slightly preferred the 2004 right now. (3085 views)

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Opened at a Clarity "Raid Your Cellar" wine dinner in the parking lot. Some incredible wines, so only a small glass of this. In a beautiful spot - dark fruit, spice, and just enough of that Pegau funk. (2971 views)

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The wine is in a fabulous spot and is spectacular. Opened about 6 hours before drinking. (3379 views)

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Classic Pegau. Fully mature. Dark fruit, currants, leather, tobacco, herbes de Provence. A pleasure! (3330 views)

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Deep ruby. Notes of ripe black currant, pepper and tobacco. Well balanced wine with a long clean finish. (3024 views)

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Very nice. Still lots of time on these. Interested to see how this wine evolves. (3088 views)

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Certainly a contender for the wine of vintage as this gem manages to avoid the excessive heat and overripeness found in many 03 Chateauneuf's. Rich, lush and captivating, the wine fills your palate with wild, earthy, peppery, herb, leaf and tobacco coated fruits. Ripe, but not too much, this is drinking beautifully today. If you have been waiting, pull a cork and enjoy the ride. (4993 views)

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The 2003 Domaine Du Pegau is everything you expect in an aged CdP. Bricked color, dusty nose, earth, smoked herbs, and meat. Now that the fruit is gone this is a very deep and contemplative wine. (3020 views)

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CH9 semi blind vertical tasting of Pegau, Beaucastel and Salon 1990-2009 (Nordsjaelland): Too rich for me. Tertiary farmyard, notes (3482 views)

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Drinking at peak. Wonderful! (3366 views)

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Patio Chilling at Tilia (Tilia, Mpls): Very dark red color. PNP, drank a glass plus over an hour plus. The nose is bursting with wet earth and truffle, rose, very floral, red fruts and plenty of it, spice, dried garrigue and cigar. The palate is full bodied, silky, lots of ripe red fruit, raspberry, cassis, gravel, cigar and cigar ash with a little kirsch. This has great spice notes on the back end with a little briary note, very long. Excellent stuff, very clean. 94+pts. (3665 views)

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Nice bottle in spite of the hot vintage with classic aromas and flavors. Drinks well with short decant which brought out the polished sweet fruit. I see no problem with further aging although it's in a great place at the moment (3454 views)

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Decanted for 90 minutes. Drinking beautifully. Just enough earthiness balanced by the classic CDP flavors you expect in a well-aged Pegau. (3490 views)

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Jammy but otherwise a simple nose. However this wine is great on the palate and finish. Black fruit, tobacco, earth and a hint of spice. Really a nice flavor profile and well rounded in mouth. (3272 views)

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This bottle was very good versus the last bottle Which was excellent. It traded its power and savoriness for some elegance. Nose, palate and finish were good typical traditional style CDP. Don’t know what purchase this bottle came from. But like all others I’ve had this has an easy 10+ years to go and a few from its peak. (3155 views)

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Bought on release in CdP, brought home and cellared since 2006, this is a great example of Pegau Reserve in this hot vintage. Displaying most characteristics of the Pegau style, with dark red fruits, provencal herbs and garrigue, sappy and silky texture. I would say that the alcohol level and glycerin is more noticeable here, and there is a hint of something roasted. Still vibrant and pretty tannic, but this seems to be in it’s prime drinking window. (3785 views)

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Popped'n poured with dinner at La Piquette, my favorite French bistro in the DC area. Upon opening, it has a bit of funk on the nose, which fortunately blew off by the time we were ready for it. Full-bodied, sweet fruit, pepper - just an outstanding bottle. Most likely at its peak. Just a great Chateauneuf du Pape. (3855 views)

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7 of 12 Paired with a 2007 Usseligo CndP mon Aieul both were decanted and left for an hour and served with a well seasoned grilled black angus steak.
This continues to preform well, it’s richly fruited, spice laced, wonderfully balanced, nicely polished and a totally delicious CdnP. More easily enjoyed than the mon Aieul. (3521 views)

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Drinks like a Cabernet blend.... (3342 views)

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Cette bouteille était massive, plutôt viandeuse et animale, moins intéressante qu'il y a quelques années. À boire sans trop attendre. (3744 views)

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Great wine. Fully mature. Ripe fruit; garrigue. Full and rich. Thinking it is best to drink remaining bottles over the next few years. (95) (3433 views)

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Corked. (3064 views)

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Opened an hour or two before dinner, but not decanted. Stellar. Drinking beautifully, full-bodied dark fruits, spice, no roasted character, and barely a hint of Pegau funk. Great bottle. (3227 views)

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Interesting bottle as given the vintage I was expecting something much bigger and riper. And none of that showed. Plenty of fruits, but no stewed fruits or oxidation. While this was very enjoyable and good, this is still a very primary bottle with very little tertiary notes. A this point , it is monolithic. (3158 views)

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Decanted 2 hours. Similar to my last note, this is really good CDP but I find both the 2001 and 2003 versions are not my favorite style. I know they score well with the critics, and understand they are really unique, well made wines, but just a bit too big for me and I prefer some other vintages. But - again, very well made wine that is ripe with black fruits, concentrated, and long on the finish. Should live for a long time. A- (3384 views)

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7th CB Wine Night - CT 91.5 & above!: Great tonight again. Close 2nd tonight. (3419 views)

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Lovely. Appreciated a decanting ahead of time. Great depth and layers. Blackberry, currant. (3457 views)

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Easily the best CdP I’ve ever had, edging out the 1989 Beaucastel. When I opened the bottle, you could smell the almost explosive nose right away. In the glass, there was slight bricking, and the color was light ruby, which was somewhat deceiving, as the medium body was far weightier than its appearance would suggest. The nose was all about dark berry fruit, sage and lavender, and smoky meats. It has a beautiful delicate acidity which started at the mid-palate, and cascaded through the long finish. Mulberry, blackberry, tar, and leather flavors with soft tannins rolled over my tongue. An absolute knockout of a wine, and with that acidity and structure, I would guess it still has plenty of life left. (3477 views)

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This bottle was magnificent and ageless. The bottle variation is a bit maddening, but when it is on song, this is such a great wine. Long, complex, fruit of all colours. (3484 views)

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Sadly this cork was not solid and the wine was undrinkable. (3183 views)

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From a bottle purchased upon release and ideally cellared, this Châteauneuf continues to impress. Dark bramble fruits, Provençal herbs, licorice, dried earth and smoked meat adorn the nose and palate. Full-bodied, heavily extracted and with substantial fine-grained tannins, it is amazingly restrained in the alcohol department despite the heat and ripeness of the vintage. The wine retains enough acid to maintain freshness on the middle palate, which is deep and complex. Finishing with impressive length, this is a legendary Pégau that defies its age. Well-cellared bottles should provide immense pleasure throughout the decade. Drink now-2030. (3619 views)

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Covid-19 Intro/Retro (Chez Hughes): Blind. Sweet and candied black cherry nose. The palate has sweet, polished cherry fruit with a kick of leather and herb in the moderately long finish. Guessing a classic CdP all the way. Surprised to see '03 - shows well for the vintage. My #3, Group #3. (3575 views)

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Hedonistic, Savory and cerebral nose. You could not ask for more from a moderately aged French wine. Nose of sautéed ground beef, mushrooms, a wave of floral scents (more fresh than dried), a hint of something on the end that I just can't place, almost like burnt rubber (in a good way) and just a hint of dirty diaper to seal the deal before tracing off with a whiff of dried tobacco leaves. The palate starts out smooth with a little bit of plushness but that dies quickly on the palate as it turns thin. Same as the finish- short tobacooy peppery . It is that fact that keeps this excellent bottle from being great. While I think some more tertiary charectoristics can develop, it just doesn't have the fruit to improve the overall experience. Therefore, Drink NOW!! (3671 views)

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A nose of dust, berries, herbs, anise spices and leather, followed up with a mouthful of ripe raspberry and cherry fruit, dense savory peppery garrigue complexity. The finish is still fiercely tannic, but brightened by its acidity and the ripe and sweet fruit.

I loved this young, but I was prepared for this to be peaking and maybe even old. Nope. Those tannins could easily go another ten years before being fully resolved, and the ripe fruit and balancing acidity could make this near ageless. (3840 views)

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Très beau vin, qui se découvre de plus en plus au fil du temps. Nez boisé, fruit noir. Beaucoup de finesse et d intensitè En bouche, belle ampleur, tout est bien équilibré et une finale sur de beaux tanins. (4113 views)

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A slightly confusing wine from opening to later on and really is a wine that needs a decant and some air (suggest 1hr +)
Initially it does show a bit of that 2003 trait but not overly so. It had a really somewhat unpleasant bitter and metal taste that made things difficult early on despite decanting into bottle earlier.
Another 30 mins and it softens and gains some weight turning into something you would expect. With some cheese and food it really took on wings. At this point we finished the bottle rather too quickly and maybe it deserves a higher score . I’ll spend a bit more time and aeration on the next bottle. (3614 views)

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Typical chateaneuf but not in a good way, a bit leathery at start but quickly opens up in a jammy alcoholic bomb that i wouldn‘t expect from Pegau. ...2003, clearly a warm vintage; i would have loved less expression from the vintage and a bit more elegance (3426 views)

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Decanted and followed over 4 hours. Opaque garnet red core with some bricking at the rim. The nose is fairly restrained and attractive with aromas of garrigue, crushed stones, black cherry, and herbs de provence. This wine is surprisingly classic and structured for a 2003 with earthy red fruit driven flavors, firm tannins, and good supporting acidity. Started to show a bit more fruit towards the end so I think this wine will benefit from more time. I honestly think this could use another 10 years or decant for several hours if you want to pop a bottle now. (4333 views)

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Pop 'n pour from 55 degree cellar. Big but elegant and complex. Red berries, sage and Provencal herbs. Nice freshness and acidity. Very fine tannins. Very nice (3798 views)

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CDP with Age (Nice Matin): Young, tightly wound. tough to compare to others that were further developed and showed more nuances. (3744 views)

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Wine Tasting Group - Champagne, sorta - Nov. 9, 2019 (Brian's place): Decanted but still tight after 30 min. Some red fruit aromas but prominent alcohol as well. Hints of herbs and garrigue. Palate is better with ripe blackberries and plums, some garrigue and plums. Prominent tannins on the midpalate. Good acids. The surprising part of this wine is the elegance of this wine with ripe but not roasted fruits, given the vintage. However, while the wine was still tight over the next several hours, the fruits continued to ripen with more air. I preferred the palate earlier on (90) over later with air (88+). (3757 views)

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Ruby red. Sweet jammy raspberry and pomegranate liqueur. Seems even juicier and riper than past bottles if that is possible. Still enough underlying acidity to keep this from being flabby. Will be interesting to see where this goes with the next couple of bottles. (3563 views)

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Drinking rich. Got better and better as we drank it over an hour. Harmonious but would have liked some more fruit. It's big and went well with the filet of beef. Decanted for 1.5 hour. (3552 views)

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6th of 12 yummy CndP consistent with prior notes (3625 views)

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We received this bottle as a gift quite a while ago. We don't normally drink French wines, and our palettes are trained for California Pinots, Cabs, and GSM blends. Drinking this was an interesting experience. We brought it to a restaurant to celebrate an anniversary.

I'd heard from others that it didn't need decanting, so we poured from the bottle, and let it sit in the glass for several minutes before trying. It was almost undrinkable - very minerally (metallic) and somewhat vinegar.

We called over the somm to have her try a taste to see if it was just our palettes, and she said the wine was solid, but that she likes her CdPs younger because of this effect.

We left the wine open (in our glasses and in the bottle) for 1+ hours while we ate appetizers, and over the course of that time, it changed completely. The minerals subsided, and the fruit really came out.

I'm not sure how to score the wine, because it's so out of our sweet spot - but I will give this recommendation: decant for an hour before you drink. (3739 views)

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So good! Savory, bloody on the nose. Rich cherry. Nicely balanced, chewy tannins, med acidity. Pepper finish. (2780 views)

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Stunning wine. Gorgeous CdP. Layered and complex. Garrigue. Provençal herbs. Cherry fruit. Long finish. (3939 views)

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Softened a little now after 16 years wait. What a great wine - deep, delicious, fresh, provencal herbs, meaty, soil... less funk than a few years ago. Still a mini monster. (3969 views)

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Deep dark color, rich, ripe, vinous.... (3971 views)

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Brief Vacation note - this far exceeding my expectations - see Erics note on 5-19, very accurate. (4306 views)

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Ripe, prune-y and soft. Based on other notes, an off bottle? (3698 views)

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I know. That’s a big ass score. But this was a perfect bottle with every component completely in sync. Not decanted! I won’t be redundant; read my previous notes. Unfortunately, my last bottle. Highly recommended. (4240 views)

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Black fruits, creme, mint leaves, dried herbs on the nose. Tasted black fruits, mint leaves, herbs, garrigue with a slight vegetal, mushroom, essence of chicken tertiaries. Broody with deepset black peppers and bitter aftertaste. Very classy old school complexity. Pushing 95. Open now - this is in its peak. (3654 views)

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5th of 12. Consistent with prior notes, big, lush dark fruit laced with spice. I agree with Eric’s note from last month ..... that this wine does not have the burnt notes that many 2003s have, instead it reminds me of wines from the warm 1990 vintage (3533 views)

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Perfectly mature right now. Beautiful stuff. (3580 views)

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Wow. Just wow. Feels silly to write a note that says “I agree with everyone else,” but this is damn good wine. Stunning nose, floral on top of spice and currant. Bright and youthful on the palate. One of those wines you don’t just drink, rather one to have a relationship with... (3676 views)

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This was a great showing of this. Still very youthful and powerful. This shows of a terrific nose of violets and touch of earth. The palate is full bodied and structured with wonderfully complex flavors of black currant, roasted meats, garrique, and spices. This is very well integrated and balanced at this stage despite the high alcohol levels of this vintage and can expect a long life ahead of it. (3445 views)

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I just had the 2003 Pegau Cuvée da Capo the other day, so it made me want to check in on the Cuvée Réservée.

While these were quite similar in their youth, they have diverged considerably over the past 10 years. The Cuvée da Capo is freakishly intense and seemingly getting bigger, more structured, and even more powerful. In contrast, this Cuvée Réservée is getting more classic, more garrigue laden, very spicy and peppery, clearly a product of a ripe vintage, but far from over the top. The nose shows grilled, ripe plums and a bloody note, but the palate is utterly classic, screaming of dried Herbes de Provence, pepper, pine, cherry, a hint of soy, but really all of the flavors and food groups I expect from CDP. It is delicious. There is more sweetness and more raspberry than many vintages, but it is generous, powerful and aging exceptionally well.

It does remind me more and more of the 1990 in profile, although this is even bigger and more ripe. (5505 views)

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Stunning tonight. Liquid lavender, garrigue, barnyard notes, beef blood and iron. All the Pegau fixers. At La Contadine with the family. (4478 views)

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leather, pepper, forest floor, and dark fruit dominated the nose. the palate is consistent, tannin is still evident and stands up causing the texture to be a bit coarse while finish is long. (4372 views)

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Much better than last visit. (4484 views)

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From 750. Peak maturity, drinking extremely well. Impossible to not reach for next glass. 98 points. (4528 views)

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Garnet with an orange rim, that is surprisingly intense for me. Nevertheless the nose, first shy, developed quickly from fruity raspberries scents to blackberries infused with red currants, black cherries with soy, hints of coffee with roasted meats components, sage, licorice and garrigue. The palate is concentrated with layers of fruit, still quite present tannins and just enough acidity to keep a balance. It benefits from decant with airing of up to an hour or airing for more than an hour in the partly emptied bottle, which I prefer. But from my cellar it definitely needs "air time". Popped and poured the first impression is a bit disappointing. I cellared this since release at 16°C to 19°C in summer, so significantly warmer than textbooks suggest. My experience is, that this cellar temperatures does result in a faster evolution of the wines in comparison to textbook cellaring (which I carry out in wine refrigerators), but not in worse results if the wines are not cellared to long. In my opinion this wine has a decade or more of positiv evolution ahead if cellared at textbook conditions. If not this should be consumed over the next, let's say 5 years maximum to get the full concentration of fruit. It is more extracted and concentrated than the 2001 or 2000 vintage from this estate. Smoother are the above mentioned vintages, but the concentration and even the complexity of the 2003 sets this apart. 5/14/19/10. -2029 98 points from Jeb Dunnuck at the WA in 2014 and from Parker in 2010. (4517 views)

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Great Pégau; luxurious, elegant and lush with ripe black fruits. Iron, band-aid and reminding of Pauillac in the nose. Barnyard and autumn notes in the finish. Might even improve, further gaining complexity in the coming years. (3756 views)

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A mature Pegau. Interesting complexity but after c4 hours this wine began to fade and showed some dryness on the finish. On the evidence of this bottle drink the rest of the case soon. (3977 views)

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Dark berries with an earthy garrique aroma
There’s flavors of chocolate and minerality in this medium bodied wine. Good finish
The tannin is there, but the fruit is fading slightly
I liked it none the less (3919 views)

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Decanted one hour. This is the best 2003 CdP I’ve ever had. The nose is terrific black fruits, smoked meats, violets and spice. The palate is rich, layered and complex with flavors of cassis, tobacco, earth, white pepper. There is however noticeable alcohol in the mid palate and a little jamminess here and there but overall it retains its balance. This wine is so big and concentrated it could last a very long time. (3804 views)

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So how do you rate this wine. I wanted to like it more than I did. It has complexity, barnyard, candy, dark plum, thick and almost over extracted fruit without being quite raisin like. It has complexity and these dense viscous candy flavors bury the alcohol. Tannins integrated,soft, chewy. Not much pepper like I expect in CdP. The bottle in great shape, in my cellar for over a decade and the nose was actually better than the taste. Perhaps a little flabby without the acidity to keep it fresh (the result of a hot hot vintage?). I have heard so much about how good this was going to be and I still have some left. The density of fruit alone may carry it for years and years and perhaps it’s just a little out of balance with the acidity. Expected more. I love Pegau and feel it is super reliable. Other than this and one ‘06 (of many) the dozens of other bottles have all been great. Maybe this bottle wasn’t representative but it certainly wasn’t oxidized and I’m hoping a different experience from what I have left in this vintage. Will wait years before opening another. (4024 views)

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So good. Just ... so good. It's hard for me to imagine a Chateauneuf du Pape that can be much better. Popped and poure; shockingly, it would have been even better with a decent decant. (3933 views)

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Color: advanced - garnet red, somewhat brown. Nose: mature but complex - stewed raisins, leather, cooked prunes, coffee, spices, some red fruits. Mouth: mature ripe fruits, nice acidity, full bodied, integrated tannins, very long finish (30+ sec). I like the balance in this wine. Only 14% alcohol for a vintage that was hotter than a blast furnace :-) Excellent mature cdnp, drink now. 94 pt. (4113 views)

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Monthly tasting club "The Tasting Club" Jan 2019 Wines with high professional scores (@ PD): Beautiful bouquet with red berries and a lot of herbs and spices. The palate offers a rich and beautiful wine, showing some development and maturity, but also mild and beautifully fresh acidity a great length and beautiful tannin. Ready now and the next 3+ years. (4257 views)

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Popped and poured, the nose was awesome from the get go, and the everything synced over the course of dinner (at La Piquette, my favorite French bistro in DC, with cassoulet and beef short ribs) - full bodied, dark fruits, peppery, amazingly texture - just a sensational bottle of wine, and possibly even better with a decant. (3952 views)

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With all the controversy around Brett and Pagau I decided to give this plenty of age as a Kiwi winemaker I met indicated Brett often diminishes with age. So my first of two bottles at age 15.5 and I really could not have been more pleased. If Brett was there I didn’t detect it and I’m a low level detector of the stuff in general. I hate it and I didn't hate this, quite the opposite. Medium red Grenache color with a bit of depth. Some depth to a nez of mint, wood and maybe a bit of cranberry. Light, bright cherry, peppery mint, sappy and some stemmy chew. Long black pepper in the finish, really long like 10 minutes. I’d drink but it’s got plenty of life if well cellared. (4419 views)

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Another Saturday at Chevalier...Mostly Blind Rhone Varietals (Chevalier Fine Wines - Chicago IL): Tasted double blind. Black and blue fruit with very good density on both nose and palate. Clearly from a ripe vintage, but also very well balanced and restrained. Not the most complex of wines, but very tasty. (4843 views)

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Terrific. Red and black fruits, herbs and light spice on the nose. Vert slight bricking at the edge. Ripe, fruit first but the herbs, spice and earthiness come through as secondary flavours. Very long, ever so slightly coarse finish. Paired with lamb, this was gorgeous. (3448 views)

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Popped and poured and consumed over 3 hours. Color virtually opaque black-garnet with little fading at the rim. On the nose the wine was a complex and balanced panoply of aromas from black cherries to fresh herbs to smoke to tar to graphite. Each whiff seemed to offer something new. The palate is where the this wine really impressed, though. The first thing that came to mind was voluptuous. The palate feel is simply extraordinary with sappiness and ripeness balanced by good acidity and no sense of heat whatsoever. The depth of fruit is amazing. The tannins have subsided enough to yield a wine that's a fabulous drink now and perhaps will be for many more years. (3883 views)

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Perfect now. Sweet fruit, tertiary nose, smooth tannins. Mouthfiling and long. Yum! (3690 views)

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Drank from magnum and the wine was different enough from the small bottle it was worth me writing another note. The wine from magnum showed beautiful color, dark purple with only slight sign of bricking on the edges. Immediately approachable after a hour long decant, the wine demonstrated a much shyer nose than its 750 sibling. This wine had the classic aged CDP taste with tertiary flavors emerging. I will drink my 750s now and age the other two magnums. This wine has a long life ahead of it. From magnum 96-98+ (3975 views)

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At Cafe Chez Panisse in Berkeley for Estie's birthday along with my son Dan. Immediately decanted by waitstaff upon seating. Didn't taste until after our first course, but we were enthralled by the beautiful aromas wafting from the decanter. Dark purple in color, complex bouquet, on the palate I already knew it was one of the best CdPs I had ever tasted. Blackberries, kirsch, sage, provencal herbs (garrigue) and then sort of a Chinese bent with 5 spice powder and plum sauce. Did I mention complex? Great accompaniment for my lamv. Yes, it will last for more years, but no need to wait.How long is the finish? I may still be tasting it. (4843 views)

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What a wine! Mature cdp with no signs of fading. Beautifully concentrated with a nose to die for. Spent 3 hours in decanter then drank over 2 hours. Has the old school barnyard notes in the nose as well as dark fruit, old wood and leather. I love this “funkiness”. In the palate it’s mouth coating and smooth as silk. Dark cherries, Forrest floor, leather and a long long finish. (4827 views)

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Wine Spectator newbies; 10/18/2018-10/20/2018 (Marriott Marquis): Similar to previous notes. This continues to be one of my favorite Pegaus and one of the only wines that I really like from 2003 Rhone. It's hard to describe this wine and convey how well done it is. There's an energy that goes through it that just makes all of the flavors pop a bit. Lots of red fruits and spice notes. Approachable and yet appears to have a long life ahead of it. Well done. (5882 views)

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A perfect bottle... kirsch, soy, garrigue, sage, dash of tarragon, and full of texture and complexity with an ultra long finish. Still firing on all cylinders and one of the best bottles I’ve had of this wine (almost 3 cases and counting). A damn fine wine. (5328 views)

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PNP at room temperature and then enjoyed over an hour with dinner. This is big, ripe, but enjoyable with food and lives up to a very high reputation. Just a touch "hot". I would not call it perfect, but it is a really, really good CDP. A-/A (4932 views)

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Another stellar bottle! (5089 views)

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Absolutely killer juice that is drinking beautifully right now. (4801 views)

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Notes of canned tomatoes and slightly volatile right after pulling the cork. Firms up with air, no doubt this is a rich, big scaled wine with both lots of fruit and lots of alcohol even it only says 14% ok the label. Dan Kravitz calls this roasted AND balanced? Huh? I don't find it roasted though, luckily. This is a wine I'd keep for another 3-5 years and then hope it settles down to show more of the garrigue, iron, blood notes I usually find in Pegau. (5675 views)

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Aperitif - delicious
Sam & Florence
2001 Comte Armand Epenaux - 92 -
1982 - Leoville Las Cas - 95
2005 Lafon - Santenonts to Milieu - oxydated
2005 D’Angerville - Chapman’s oxydated (5119 views)

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The 2003 shows the heat and ripeness, but still holding up well. Very nice with grilled tuna. Back when Premier Cru was legitimate. (5223 views)

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Peaking now. Lovely rust color. 1 hr decant to remove substantial sediment. Dark cherries, granite, and tar. Super long finish. Excellent CdP. (5414 views)

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Guys night - You know the drill: I avoid 2003 Southern Rhone, but this wine was a charmer. Sandalwood, a touch soapy. There was a big Rhone palate that was peppery and had a small amount of anise. There was NO funk, which was perplexing. I enjoyed it nonetheless. I got this sense of gravelly minerality and fruit that I love but associate more with Northern Rhone, certainly not 2003 CDP. But there it is. (5609 views)

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Make it Count (Jason P's, St. Paul, MN): Very dark red color. Brief decant. Drank 1 glass over an hour. Dried herbs on the nose with an earthiness, but no Pegau funk at all, ripe fruits, very spicy nose. The palate is quite spiced, hi toned, kirsch, roasted meat, full bodied, black cherry, and quite peppery and spicy. This seemed to get bigger and a little blousy over time. (5339 views)

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Another amazing bottle. When the '03 is on, it's amazing. (4728 views)

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Very fine showing tonight. Served after a strong line of wines, this is still the real McCoy; concentrated, sweet, dens, beef and iron here galore, no signs of fatigue here. Love it.
#Anarki#Peter&Jesper (4992 views)

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Decanted for 1 hour, but better after an additional half hour. Lots of sediment. Nose of red fruits and cedar. The medium to plus palate is full of red and dark red fruits, some garrigue, and a touch of spice. The acidity is balanced, and the tannins are fully integrated. Can be some bottle variation, and hard to say how much longer this splendid wine will hold, so drink it soon for maximum enjoyment. (4861 views)

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Avec ma fille dont c’est l’année de naissance...
Plus évolué, il a perdu un peu en fraicheur et en éclat, du moins sur cette bouteille. C’est bon, mais loin des sommets dont ce vin est capable. Bouteille imparfaite, ou vin sur le déclin? 90 pts (5393 views)

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An evening of Rhone (Bobo): One of my favorite Pegaus which is odd because I don't always love the 2003 vintage. It's very well balance with bright red fruits and very nice structure. Wonder if the stem inclusion helped with creating a bit more balance. Very nice wine. (5790 views)

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drink now (5122 views)

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Wine Dinner at Clarity in Vienna, VA. When first opened, I thought the bottle might have been oxidized. After a couple hours of air, it actually come back a bit. But while enjoyable, this was easily the worst bottle of the usually stunning '03 Pegau Cuvee Reservee that I've had. I'll chalk this one up to a flawed bottle. (5023 views)

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Forum Reunion (@ WB): In the bouquet beautifully ripe fruits and garrigue. The palate needed a few moments in the glass. Good acidity and some pleasant sweetness. (5378 views)

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Dinner at Sun Wah (Chicago, IL): Mildly corked. (6348 views)

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GMs - Kevin back in Town: Meaty, licorice, blackcurrant, iodine and cinnamon. The palate is decidedly ripe, though it has a nice savoury, bramble character as well. Intense but doesn't overextend itself. (4834 views)

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Huge beautiful penetrating nose of roasted bacon, oriental spices, ripe red cherries.. Still plenty of life ahead, delicate at first sipp but still building up in the mouth. Great and consistent wine as usual! (5490 views)

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Lovely bricking color and good smoky, meaty nose. Nice flavor but definitely beginning to fade. Lacks a bit of the verve it once possessed.
Enjoyable but I would drink up. (5330 views)

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Full and slightly cloudy garnet-red and a bit of brown. Lovely chocolate and raspberry on the nose. Soft and sexy, redolent with raspberry, cocoa, and an explosive fruit medley when vigorously enjoyed. (5145 views)

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Regular dinner group (By EM @ Bottles): In the bouquet red and dark berries, plums, smoke and sweet spices. On the palate red berries, a lot of sweet spices, medicine, some sweetness, good acidity and round tannin. Beautiful wine. 93 - 94 (5636 views)

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What a wine! Just enough funk, bret, and plum. Really structured wine and still a nice grip/tannin. Will try next bottle in a few years to see how these softens even more, but I don't think this wine has fully peaked yet. (4977 views)

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A bit feral, big juicy berries and firm acid and tannins. Plummy front, strict behind. (5111 views)

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Popped this because there was leakage, and surprisingly did not need the backup bottle I'd brought up. Not flawless, but surely a nice gamy richness providing a reminder of why CdP is the stuff of kings. Tasted young, kinda hot, red berry fruitiness, and didn't really change much over a few hours. Really looking forward to my two remaining (and I hope non-leaking) bottles. (4735 views)

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12 Days of Christmas; 12/21/2017-1/1/2018 (NYC, Vermont, Boston): PnP - the nose on this is full of fresh dark berries characteristic of a much younger wine. On the palate this is drinking really well right now with a nice balance of dark fruit, earthy bramble and the acid that holds it together. This really blossomed in the glass over 30 minutes, but did not last much longer that at as it was eagerly consumed. Thanks again to Rackit (my CT Secret Santa) for such an awesome bottle of wine! (5435 views)

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The post from JRDillon got me thinking that I better check in with the 01,03 and 04. So far I've opened the 01 and 03 and I agree with JR with a couple of small exceptions. The 01 was amazing when opened but I was called away and didn't get back to it for around 4 hours. By then (still in bottle/not decanted) it had declined significantly. Had some left on day 2 and while still drinkable it was nothing like past bottles. The 03 has also lost some of it's charm. I agree with JR and will change my dates to drink the rest soon. Up later this week will be the 04. (5207 views)

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Magnum !! Stored under good condition . But it was another poor bottle . (5405 views)

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Was a beautiful wine with French Onion Soup. Good acidity and still a bit tannic so could sit for a while but may not get any better. (4875 views)

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For Thanksgiving dinner I decided to open my three oldest bottles of Pegau, a 2001, a 2003 and a 2004. All three were excellent choices for a massive turkey and dressing meal with sweet potatoes, green-bean casserole with bacon, and numerous other food choices. All three vintages were in very different phases. The 2001, unfortunately, had moved well past its prime and definitely had a muted quality that despite three hours of decant would not allow the primary flavors that were so present in its youth to emerge. It was still delicious in its subtle way, but disappointing in that it had faded so far. Hints of fruit and terroir clearly were hiding in there somewhere, but overall there was very little, if any, tannic structure left. Nevertheless, two of the women in our party cited this wine as their favorite of the three. Even so, if you still have any of these, I highly recommend drinking up as soon as possible. The 2003 was the winner, imo, and was still singing with a delicious fruity tartness and gobs of earthy, barnyard terroir. This one, like the 2001, had dropped a weight class even though the decline was not nearly as pronounced. I just remember this wine at the five-year mark being one of the greatest wines I have ever tasted, but, despite its complex brilliance, this particular bottle did not come close to replicating that experience. That it shone above the others was not a surprise considering the high marks this vintage received. Moving on to the 2004, I found this one to be a bit clipped, with less depth and complexity, though still in fine shape and carrying a healthy weight. This vintage just does not stack up with the other two, and even at its peak was a substandard representation of Pegau, imo. I don't want to convey that these wines were not delicious; they all were, and most importantly, all three were a perfect complement to the outstanding meal. But none of them reached the sublime level I have experienced so many times in the past with Pegau and have almost come to expect. Thankfully, these were not the only bottles of these vintages I have owned, so I have tasted all three at much younger ages. To be honest, I have not had much luck with aged wines (10+ years) of any kind lately, and I am becoming more and more of a proponent of drinking them early, or earlier anyway. Whether Bordeaux, Cali cabs, or CDPs, I am finding the five-year mark to be a sweet spot for maximum enjoyment as a general rule, but feel free to disagree. (5707 views)

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4th of 12. Still big, bold and delicious. Black cherry fruit, big frame, some spice, surprisingly balanced, still quite young, will pick up more dimension with another 5 years, but hard to resist now. (5258 views)

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Continues to be a stunning wine. (5601 views)

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Wow nose! Very elegant almost Burgundian, none of the usual Pegau funk, but with time the barnyard nose came in with meaty beef blood, on the palate rich, sexy, fully of character, concentrated, probably the best Pegau I have drunk mainly because it's mature
94 (5567 views)

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Vinetasters: Pégaü (1989-2007) (Skokie, IL): Served blind in a Pégaü lineup. A touch of red fruit on the nose, as well as a good bit of freshbess. High-toned, a bit of aldehyde, and some sweet cherries. The palate surprisingly didn't come off as particularly ripe or extracted, and the tannins aren't too dense. To be sure, the fruit is fairly fleshy, but the palate isn't too complex. My #5, group's #4. (6378 views)

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So big and dense as to obscure the pedigree of the fruit. The usually rock solid structure found in this producer seems to have been exiled during this extraordinarily hot 2003 vintage. Replete with baked fruit delivered from a huge, blocky structure which slaps you around like a fat leather alco-glove. Just a bit too much for me. (5170 views)

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From magnum - Beautiful nose of very black ripe cherries, sandalwood, farmyard, still tight and a bit closed, opened up with air... tannins are present, dark cherries, bacon, still painfully young! Wait at least 5-10 years before opening up the next magnum... and finish the 75Cl bottles first! 96+/100 (6032 views)

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Decanted for about 2 hours, probably could have used a bit more time. Great 2003 CDP. (5250 views)

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Cooked (5913 views)

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Birthday Celebrations (Woodberry Kitchen): Not nearly as dark of fruits as many of these bottles, more red, but a little bit pruney. Still a good quaff, not one of the great ones. Missing the funk that I love in Pegau too. (7155 views)

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Cellared since release, this was absolutely stunning. I was expecting to like it, but impressed at how this 2003 was showing, how expressive it was at this point. Nose of pepper, savory spice rub, fennel, black cherry, currant, still so juicy not baked. Full-bodied, obviously, still solid tannins medium-low acid but packed with gorgeous, velvety plum and currant fruit. Laced with spice rub, leather, paprika, coffee beans, dark chocolate shavings. Excellent, no signs of being tired, faded or flabby, this was pristine. (6515 views)

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Fantastic now and over the next 5-10 years (6545 views)

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Double decanted then SO'd for several hrs, similar to prior notes; delicious & ready to drink (my last bottle of the 03) (6595 views)

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A good but not great bottle of this wine. Deep inky / garnet color. Nose is full of ripe fruits, herbs and a healthier dose of brett than I can handle (I am not brett adverse as long as it is within reason). There is so much good here but the soapy finish knocks this down a few bars for me… After sitting for a few hours and the overt gaminess subsided enough to allow the gorgeous fruit to take center stage. The soapy / coffee element remained on the nose. The sweet palate was far more impressive. Still not a perfect bottle of this wine but much closer to the real thing. (93) (6642 views)

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Sweet raspberry and strawberry fruit. Very clean, no brett or barnyard flavors. Not particularly vibrant from an acidity aspect- as one might expect from the vintage- nevertheless less quite enjoyable and a nice pairing with burgers during a pre Fourth celebration. (5653 views)

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Bricking, yet still dark in color. Herbal nose. Long finish. Low in tannins and acidity. Drinking very nicely right now (6466 views)

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Big Ch9 tasting (6097 views)

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A top performance today. Superb balance and length. (6126 views)

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Similar to prior note; at peak IMHO, but no rush, delicious! (6029 views)

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Still a true gem with plenty of time left. This wine is indeed true magic in a bottle. The classy deep and certainly profound Grenache fruit is still there - 14 years after harvest. There is also a huge portion of kirsch, blackberry, raspberry and subtle strawberries. The wine is perfectly mature and provides prime drinking right now. It is time to enjoy if you have any left - if you prefer wines with primary fruit i.e. The nose in this bottle is as clean as all other 2003s I have tasted. After some time in the glass a secondary layer of rich cardamom, a whiff of cinnamon and Asian spice box emerges. The palate is just astonishingly balanced and integrated. Acidity is truly lovely, as is the velvety tannins and a superb length on the finish. A true masterpiece which will last for another 10 years, but not develop further. (score is 97+)

Please note, the above tasting note is for the first bottling of this wine. (6042 views)

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Very nice showing. Decanted 90 minutes. Lots of barnyard and skunk at first but calmed down into a nose of resin, coffee grounds, smoke, and over-ripe black cherry. In the mouth it's all cough drop, pine-cones, and tart cherry. Still a touch of heat that throws off the balance just enough to keep this from being a great, memorable wine. A wonderful drink, though. Excellent with grilled steak with a zatar and red pepper rub. Will last a good long while but probably at peak now. (5276 views)

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I have had many bottles of this wine over the years, this was by far the best showing. in the past I have not been impressed at all with this wine. Overall, I think the press is unwarranted on this wine - it's a good CDP, well-made, that's it. To my palate it's a pretty, elegant wine as opposed to the descriptions of it being ripe, lush, full bodied blockbuster. The other possibility is that my bottles are fraudulent, I did buy them from premier cru before the scandal exploded. (5294 views)

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Tylor for sky Vegas (5054 views)

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I have not had a bottle of this in 8 years, nor -- despite loving Pegau -- did I care too as I always though the 03 a bit much. Boy, was I wrong at least with this bottle. Really settled, and no way near as big as I remembered. Still with some modern fruit, and not quite the nose I usually adore on Pegau, but this was singing. The fruit was delicious, with garrigue, smoked meat and floral elements galore. What a great showing. (5433 views)

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Same as previous note but would add that the fruit is more on the ripe and sweeter side in a pretty big way. I would bump it a point or two if the ripe fruit would come back a bit. Really nice otherwise, smooth silky, oak and all is very well integrated. Decanted for 1 hour and drank over another hour. Very good bottle. (5607 views)

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Whaouw... Magic Pégau! Provencal spices, strong farmyard (If you like that...) loads of sappy strawberries, sandalwood, bacon, leather... taste of spice, sappy red strawberries, leather, super silky tannins, lenght of 45 seconds.... great great wine!! (6632 views)

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A strong vintage from Pégaü. Showing obvious ripeness of the fruit, almost over-ripe at times. Strawberry, cranberry, spice, Provençal herbs, and earth. This is a big wine, and much more forward on the palate than most vintages of Pégaü, such as the 2000 or 2004. Tannins are firm and need some softening. At times, a bit of heat was showing on the finish. Lacking in acidity at this stage, but this will improve with time. An impressively long finish. Overall, there is a lot of potential here. Time will give it more aromatic complexity, as well as improved balance with the tannins and acidity. You can drink this now, but this should be in a much better place in 5-10 years. (5646 views)

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Purple color with a bouquet and flavor of plum jam without the sugar.
Good balance with a moderate finish. More noteworthy for purity of flavor than nuance. Very pleasant but with development of off-notes after about an hour. Two additional bottles flawed. (5752 views)

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3rd of 12. Dark, deep, rich, spicy with an atypically silky texture and a long finish. Delicious (5959 views)

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very well made wine but in a more rich, full-bodied style, and when married to the Grenache typicity and to the 2003 vintage, this was way too big and rich for my tastes, nonetheless I will admit it had some structure to keep it from being totally over the top (6021 views)

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Classic… What else to say? The grenache is elegant and contributes rather than dominates. Not a big nose; concentrated, attention-getting in the mouth; energetic but not overbearing. Nicely balanced. This bottle was a big hit in a group skeptical about labels. (5695 views)

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WOTN out of 14. Including 7 '01's, 3 '03's and 4 '07's (6053 views)

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Purple color with a bit of brown in the rim. Reminded me of cotton candy with plum and cherry notes. The tannins dissipated after some airing, but the balance was still marred by a bitter ending.
Not a lot of nuance, but much better than my other CDP's from the earlier years in the decade. Remember to keep it simple. You won't get a prize for imaging way too many smells and flavors. Great wines are created by depth and balance above the norm. They aren't blender drinks. (6150 views)

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Started out with raisnes, prunes, alcoholic and heavy looking. After a couple of hours it freshens up and some nice red fruit comes through and the heaviness disappears. (5506 views)

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Tasted blind. Big, glycerin-rich, ripe red fruit. Syrah spices. Smoked meat and game. This is surely a “Rhone blend.” I think it is GSM—and heavy on the grenache—but sometimes I am surprised to find that wines like this are just one of the three. Tannins are moderate; this is approachable now but would be better in 3 years. My guess would be it is chateauneuf du pape. Rating: 90.

Non-blind p.s.: A number of reviewers have commented about cork taint, and I too detected the faintest hint of cork. I would also concede that my rating of 90 is on the low side of reasonableness for a wine of this stature, but it's what I rated the wine blind so I'm sticking with it. (5472 views)

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Cork (5387 views)

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This is the real Pegau; beef blood, iron, still young – concentrated, sweet, but with nerve, vibrant almost and not warm – a lot less so than the Marcoux VV. Keeps well on day 2, at bit broader, but still fresh. I cannot believe, I sold a case of this some years ago, what a dumb mistake – Pegau did well in 2003, one of the few. (5237 views)

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Shedding it's vintage characteristics, this is presenting as more classical styled Chateauneuf. It's decent, but one of my least favorite vintages. (5394 views)

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Den Blinde Hane#3 (Hos Jens Peter): Very fine for the vintage, mature sweet grenache and just a hint of dry tannins. Drink now-onwards (5385 views)

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hmmm, I've been underwhelmed with this wine over 3 bottles. it's good, but not great. frankly, it lacks concentration. I did buy this from premier cru, which makes me wonder if there is an authenticity or sourcing problem. (5604 views)

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Great typical nose of oriental spices, farmyard, ripe red raspberries... surprizingly concentrated, (3rd bottling), loads of depot on the bottle... the taste is still showing potential ahead!! (5971 views)

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This is the third bottle of 2003 I've tasted. All bottles from different individuals cellars, today's bottle from mine. All bottles tasted the same. Over extracted. Very disappointing.
I have a significant number of Pegau reserve, back to the 1998 vintage, and none have been this unpleasant.
The nose is overripe. After the aforementioned over extracted approach there is no discernible mid palate or finish. (6915 views)

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Pegau Reservee Vertical (Frederiksberg): Rustic and earthy but also very dense and sweet dark cherry fruit. Creamy and a lot of flavor depth and intensity.
It is still very nice and will just continue to improve. (5019 views)

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Macerated cherry, stewed plum, licorice, soft and plummy, dry ample tannins, eucalyptus notes with touch of cooked herbs; alcohol in check for '03, not bad but lacks verve. (7006 views)

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Not decanted. I've had a bottle or two not posted on in the 8 year interim. This is a very good showing. A year of anomaly with the heat. RMP 98. Get real. A score that high should mean a wine of legendary status. I was quite surprised by the fluidity and balance. Seemingly quite young, but shedding baby fat and entering solid secondary phase. Aging potential intact. The usual iron ore and kirsch notes. Very long finish. Wavering between 92-93. This is so good... (7586 views)

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This is a super wine and a contender for one of my favorite vintages of Pegau. Fat, rich, dense, lush and packed with layers of perfectly ripe, red and dark red fruits, barnyard, earth, garrigue and peppery spices, this is showing great today and should continue getting even better. The wine was popped and poured. (8438 views)

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Second bottle against 03 Clos des Papes ! Needed air . Is not absolut ready yet . But a big wine on the forest side of life . Wonderful minty and herbal nose . Will only get better . I was so happy . Bought it at the winery. Paul said : Seulement 6 !!!!! We took everything he gave us . Marvelous wine . Hold (7902 views)

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First bottle ! Totally cooked ! Baaaad luck (6762 views)

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