March 28, 2024 - Domaine Pegau 1995-2008 Vertical: Nose: 94, Palate: 93+
My #1, Group's #1. Tasted Blind.
February 23, 2024 - Earlier rumors of my demise .... well so much for that. A great mature example of a classic CNDP decanted for sediment and gave it a bout a 45 min decant which cleaned up some early barn yard notes to reveal deep elegant flavors and structured finish. Wine of the night consensus among 7 dinner participants.9
February 15, 2024 - I waited patiently for almost 25 years and...corked. 😞
February 10, 2024 - ESTG does Pegau-Palooza (Seattle, WA, USA): Unreal, just a perfect example of the 1999. This has what I call "all the Châteauneuf-du-Pape" food groups. Amazing power, balance of fruit, spice, garrigue. Most of the group thought this was the best wine of the night. It was really stunning.
February 7, 2024 - Nose: rose, white pepper, Blueberry, leather
Notes: pretty classic Pegau nose and taste. Drinking perfectly now at the right age with soft tannins and a irresistable palate. This wine requires no further aging and likely will be going downhill if this is not consumed in near term. I've admired Pegau for its consistency in its lower level wines as they have delivered what exactly they should deliver over and over again - quality and elegant CNDP that's approachable both in terms of taste and price tag.
Drink: now+
Rating: 90
December 17, 2023 - Beautiful, dense but light, deep fruit, some age but still vibrant and slightly spicy. Probably not going to improve but in good form
December 13, 2023 - A Wednesday at Dave's place: Second time tasted in consecutive days. This pours light garnet with faint bricking. The nose on this is just beautiful showing classic Pegau characteristics, blasting black pepper, seaweed, light cherry, raspberry coulis, tar, crushed rocks, burlap, grilled pork, and dry bay leaf. The palate enters on bright red and lightly kirsch-tinged fruit. Tannin is medium, acid is medium minus. The finish is lengthy replaying much of the complexity of the nose. I poured this blind for others immediately after the 1999 Beaucastel and it was enjoyable to contrast the two. My preference was for the Pegau, but the room was split between the two. Regardless, most others had this a point or two behind me score-wise.
December 12, 2023 - Tuesday night blinds: [Tasted Double Blind] This pours light garnet in the glass with light bricking. The nose is very earthy, evolved and animal. Aromas are of aniseed, animal fur, leather, roasted chestnut, wet hay, nori, roast pork, and baked strawberries. The palate enters on the ripe, sweet baked strawberry fruit. Tannin is medium minus, acid is medium. The finish is lovely and tarry with baked strawberry, lavender, and earthy herbal components. Just an absolutely gorgeous wine. This came across to me as quite clearly Chateauneuf du Pape, and I had a strong feeling it was Pegau given the light color, whole cluster spice, and light brett. I would have guessed early 2000s or late 1990s, but I had recently sold the person who brought this a 1999, and that made a lot of sense to me, so I correctly identified the wine.
November 19, 2023 - Animal bien intégré, très long.
July 15, 2023 - 45 minute decant. Funky bricked red color. Nose of raw, bloody meat, spiced plum pudding, barnyard, and manure. Layers of funky red fruit on the palate with peppered beef, beef bullion, and dried rose petals. Resolved tannins with tea leaf, leather, shoe polish, au jus, and a peppery loam finale. Unlike the bottle six months ago from the same source, this one came off as long in the tooth and on the decline. Drink up.