TN: 1994 Domaine du Pegau: Chateauneuf du Pape - Cuvee Reserve (S.Rhone, France).

Nicos_Neocleous · January 31, 2020, 3:34pm

1994 Domaine du Pegau: Chateauneuf du Pape - Cuvee Reserve (S.Rhone, France).

My last bottle of this old school Chateauneuf du Pape from one of the top wine makers in the world. Popped and poured. The colour is deep strawberry red with a light red rum. Dried red fruits and wild herbs gently massage my nose receptors. The velvet smooth mouthfeel has a touch of old vine sweet fruit with round gentle tannins. The length is fresh and persistent. A sublime wine drinking at its peak now.

Brad_Kane · January 31, 2020, 4:19pm

One of my favorites of the vintage. I remember I got mine on closeout from a Pennsylvania state store for $10 in the late '90s.

Jonathan_Loesberg · January 31, 2020, 5:13pm

I must have had my last bottle around 2014. A great wine from an underrated vintage.

Nicos_Neocleous · January 31, 2020, 5:49pm

I agree. It was a most enjoyable bottle of red wine and paired perfectly with Greek Cypriot pork and sheftalia kebabs (one of each for me) in N.London.

dcornutt · January 31, 2020, 7:03pm

I love this one. Cheers Nicos!

Gerhard_P · January 31, 2020, 7:11pm

One of my fav. drinking vintages. I think I’ve paid some 55 FF then …

Nicos_Neocleous · February 1, 2020, 4:58pm

Cheers Don. Always good to hear from you!

I agree Gerhard, but then again we both love Pegau wines…

Dan_Kravitz · February 2, 2020, 12:00am

commercial post: I import Pegau to most of the U.S.

Also a favorite of mine. IIRC I posted recently on my last bottle (the business may have a few left in the bottle room).

For those who enjoy Pegau’s frequent ‘under the radar’ vintages, I highly recommend the '99 (a little more black fruit), the '04 (still surprisingly young a vigorous, not yet very secondary), the '06 (far readier than the '04, gorgeous today) the '11 (showing signs of developing a lot like '94) and, while early to judge, possibly the '14.

Dan Kravitz

Nicos_Neocleous · February 2, 2020, 10:53am

Thank you for your expert views Mr Kravitz.

Arv_R · February 2, 2020, 7:00pm

Wow here’s a blast from the past. This must have last crossed my lips maybe 20 years ago. Thanks for the picture.

Chris.C · February 3, 2020, 5:19pm

Very nice note. I enjoyed many bottles of this years ago. One of the first Chateauneufs I bought in some volume. All my 94s are gone now, and I recently put away my last 1995 Pégau alongside a 2001 and 2007:

1995 Domaine du Pégaü Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée. This old soldier has been with me since release – a long time, probably longer than its makers ever intended for it to keep a cork. I was not sure what to expect here, but the dark, opaque garnet colour was promising. Still at least as saturated as the other two bottles. Aromatic profile of sweet stewed fruit, iron, and leather – very typical of, and relatively civilized for, the house. In the mouth soft and resolved structurally, with dark autumnal notes, but not at all sweet nor dried out. Still drinking really well and while the crunchy fruit has faded away I would not say it’s in decline. Tops.

Nicos_Neocleous · February 4, 2020, 6:50pm

My pleasure Arv.

Chris, thanks for your note. I have drunk a couple of the 1995 Cuvee Reserve’s in the last 12 months. My bottles are mature but still with plenty of life left. I am saving my last few for special occasions.

Cheers,
Nicos