Chateauneuf - A New House of the Pope party (long)

WINE TALK
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Last Saturday Eric Levine, Pope of the Church of Cellartracker, hosted a wonderful tasting of Chateauneuf-du-Pape. The evening was beautifully organized and featured an outstanding dinner, beautifully mature Chateauneufs and wonderful company. Thanks and kudos to Eric for his kindness and great orchestration.

Ten diners were treated to a dozen wines, organized into logical pairings, accompanied by lovely, savory food mostly prepared by Eric, with a fine starting salad and great dessert provided by Jan Agosti.

1st flight - white

2021 Domaine La Barroche Chateauneuf-du-Pape Blanc ‘Pure’ - Lively, steely aromas led to a nicely balanced palate with definite floral tones. The fruit was slightly citric, with an unexpected note of Granny Smith apple. This is a lovely wine. Rated 89.5, up to 2 points of improvement likely over the next ~5 years.

2017 Domaine de Lancyre Roussanne - Very round floral aromas with notes of both pear and pineapple. The palate is reasonably full and lush, but with enough acidity to keep it fresh. The opulence is balanced by some piquant spicy notes. A step up on the previous. Rated 92, drink now and over the next few years.

2nd flight - Rhone & Languedoc reds

2011 Chateau Puech-Haut Coteaux du Languedoc St Drezery ‘Reboussier’ - This is pure Carignan from 80 year vines. The aromas are young, almost aggressive, with black cherry and noticeable oak. The palate is burly, with lots of fine tannins and rich, immediate black fruits. This is surprisingly almost primary, but offers a lot of muscular pleasure. Rated 93, up to 3 points of improvement possible over the next decade.

2009 Domaine Gourt de Mautens Rasteau - This is a deep, profoundly classic Rhone, loaded with fresh red fruit and garrigue. The aromas are shockingly young with classic bacon and tomato under the fruit. The palate is medium in body and beautifully balanced. Tannins are resolved and the flavors extremely savory. Rated 92, drink now.

3rd flight - Chateauneuf du Pape

2005 Clos du Mont-Olivet ‘La Cuvée du Papet’ - The aromas feature mostly black fruit, but are reticent. There are some faint mineral notes. On the palate, this is hard and tannic, not yielding much in the way of flavors or maturity, or (sad to say) pleasure. At 21 years this is still a sullen teenager. Rated 82. I would hold another decade and hope for the best.

2004 Clos du Mont-Olivet ‘La Cuvée du Papet’ - What a difference a year makes! The aromas here are as open as the previous was closed. Beneath ripe red and black plums, your pizza is graced with tomato, bacon and oregano. The palate is soft but firm, both broad and long and very subtle. This is a deeply beautiful wine at its apex. Rated 95, drink now.

4th flight - Chateauneuf

2016 Domaine du Pegau ‘Cuvee Reservee’ - I have talked often with owner Laurence Feraud about this and the 2015. She prefers the 2015, I have always liked the 2016 and did not think it would close down. Guess what? She was right and I was wrong.

It’s not the aromas here that are closed. There is black fruit, plum and blackberry, with a green garrigue hint underneath. The palate however is still rough with unresolved tannins, somewhat abrupt if not aggressive. I brought this and it was a chastening showing. Rated 86, up to 10 points of improvement inevitable over the next 5 - 20 years.

2010 Henri Bonneau - Like the last pair, a night-and-day difference. The aromas are of copious beauty, featuring mostly red fruit, plenty of garrigue and a harmonious earthiness. The palate offers great breadth and intricacy, suppleness of fruit complemented by plenty of herbal and spicy notes. The balance is impeccable, the finish long and profound, with new nuances unfolding to the very end. This is great wine. Rated 96, possibly at peak but certainly can be held at least five more years.

5th flight - Chateauneuf

2003 Domaine du Pegau ‘Cuvee Reservee’ - In an incredibly hot vintage, Pegau excelled, this bottle proving the point. The intensely ripe palate features equal parts black plum and tomato. These are at the forefront, with some warmth only in the background. The palate again is mostly ripe but not overripe fruit… plum and blackberry, with lots of garrigue (oregano, maybe a hint of lavender?) in the background. There is warmth only in the finish… and note… that’s warmth, not heat. Rated 92.5, fully mature.

2003 Domaine du Pegau ‘Cuvee da Capo’ - The aromas here are similar to the previous, but alcohol is slightly more noticeable. The palate on the other hand is far richer; muscular and massive, with intense ripe black fruit overwhelming any heat. There are points of black pepper, there is even more garrigue, all herbal, and freshly-dug earth. This coats every cell of the palate. A great wine and a glorious mouthful. Rated 96.

6th flight - Chateauneuf

2001 Chateau Mourre de Tendre - I don’t think I’ve had more than two wines from this property, and probably none in the last ~20 years. Quite simply, a revelation.

The aromas are more floral than fruity, with intense violets framing lovely red and black cherries. The palate is a wonder offering plenty of body somehow in a lacy framework. The balance and harmony are impeccable. The fruit now includes both blackberry and blueberry, but with the flowery note remaining strong throughout. There are slight herbal and peppery hints. The finish is the longest of the night and this is the evening’s most beautiful wine. Rated 98. Drink now.

1998 Domaine du Pegau ‘Cuvee da Capo’ - Corked, dammit! I am not very sensitive at picking up the moldy aromas imparted by TCA but I know damned well when fruit has been killed. And the cork murdered this wine.

The salad, mostly green with nasturtiums and some other stuff was a perfect accompaniment to the white pairing. Eric cooked a couple of tender, moist, flavorful chickens, enhanced by plenty of sides; perfectly cooked asparagus, potatos, mushrooms, sorry if I’m forgetting anything. Jan’s dessert was a pistachio and olive oil cake, accompanied by a cashew cream, stunningly good.

Mea culpa: I brought four of the wines and both of my Pegau contributions were a bust… the shockingly tannic ’16 and the corked ’98. At least the Lancyre and the Puech-Haut provided some pleasure to the table.

WOTN: Mourre de Tendre

Runners-up: Bonneau and 2003 da Capo

Very honorable mention: 2004 Mount-Olivet

Again, my deep thanks to Eric for a truly wonderful evening.

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A joy to see you in Seattle Dan!

DAN KRAVITZ COMES FOR DINNER - Seattle, WA, USA (6/6/2026)

Dan Kravitz was in town, so I hosted a dinner to celebrate Southern RhĂ´ne wines. Wonderful evening of lovely wine, food, friendship and conversation.

Whites

Flight 1

Flight 2

  • 2004 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape La CuvĂŠe du Papet - France, RhĂ´ne, Southern RhĂ´ne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    An outstanding 2004, sleek and cool, medium weight, very balanced.
  • 2005 Clos du Mont-Olivet Châteauneuf-du-Pape La CuvĂŠe du Papet - France, RhĂ´ne, Southern RhĂ´ne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    Sigh, 2005 is just no joy. Hard and clunky next to the 2004 on night 1 with much debate as to whether it was heat affected. Personally I felt like it was just an example of 2005, hard, tannic and foursquare. That said, I was amazed when I retasted the half-empty bottle two nights later. The wine was still tannic, but there is no oxidation at all. The fruit is deep, powerful and meaty. I would advise heavy decanting and sturdy food if you open one of these.

Flight 3

  • 2010 Henri Bonneau Châteauneuf-du-Pape - France, RhĂ´ne, Southern RhĂ´ne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    My WOTN, and even just 4 ounces left in the bottle this is STILL going strong two days later. Laser pure Grenache, deep, focused, mineral. Holy s**t, I can't believe how fresh and intense this is. Just glorious. Rayas and Bonneau just amaze me. And this is just the "basic" village wine. Beautiful perfume, not a lot of garrigue, more just lifted Grenache. Pure, red fruit, quite firm, stunning. (95 points)
  • 2016 Domaine du PĂŠgau Châteauneuf-du-Pape CuvĂŠe RĂŠservĂŠe - France, RhĂ´ne, Southern RhĂ´ne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    This was tough sledding, just funky, a bit reductive, sullen. Our bottle just never really opened up. Tasting it two days later (not a normal scenario) it has lost some freshness but is actually much better. Very intense, peppery, loaded with garrigue, VERY powerful, lots of tannins. This is going to be a beauty, but if you even think about opening this decant it for a few hours. It's a beast.

Flight 4

  • 2003 Domaine du PĂŠgau Châteauneuf-du-Pape CuvĂŠe RĂŠservĂŠe - France, RhĂ´ne, Southern RhĂ´ne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    I bought way too much 2003 Châteauneuf-du-Pape in general, and many have been disappointing. However Pegau is NOT among the disappointments. Yes this is 2003, ripe, roasted, definite fig and fried fruit, but of the palate, deep, sweet core, all of the Provencale spices, endlessly long.
  • 2003 Domaine du PĂŠgau Châteauneuf-du-Pape CuvĂŠe da Capo - France, RhĂ´ne, Southern RhĂ´ne, Châteauneuf-du-Pape
    The 2003 Da Capo and Cuvee RÊservÊe were somewhat indistinguishable in their youth, but they have taken different paths over the past 23 years. The CuvÊe da Capo lacks a bit of aromatic freshness, but the palate is unique. Dense, liqueur of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, powerful, almost overwhelming intensity and depth, not easy, but delicious and impressive.

Flight 5

Another amazing evening of Southern RhĂ´ne wines.

Posted from CellarTracker

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So rare to see notes on Henri Bonneau !

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FIFY :innocent:

I imported a Pegau for ~40 years, always wanted to taste the other top wines from the district. I think this was my 5th tasting of Bonneau… the first was when Paul Feraud of Pegau took me to Bonneau for a tasting. I wanted to buy a few bottles. Henri Bonneau said ‘no’ and reacted as if I had try to buy his first-born.

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Looks like I need to give you a heads up next time I am in Seattle…I think the last time we shared a meal was CdP too, 2005 Rayas, I believe at our favorite little Belltown haunt with the moody chef.

Hope you are well Eric.

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Let me know when you are in town. We can catch up and do a dinner.

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Of course, this is an anecdote of one tasting with her only, but I got the very clear indication that she prefers a much riper CDP than i do. We were tasting the 21 and the 22 side-by-side, and she thinks the 22 is the much better wine, while my palate prefers the 21. We got into a discussion about that very issue and she doesn’t seem to be bothered by alcohol levels and actually loves 2018 and 2015. Those are two vintages that I generally avoid in Southern Rhône.

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The 22 Pegau IS the better wine :grin: ..

bit like 08 an 11 21 will be close to maturity much earlier …

I like it too.

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Meh. :wink:

Too big for me. Now that said, I’m popping a 2020 Du Capo for Pops this weekend!

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Talk about bigicity, the 2020 da Capo, unless it is in a closed period, will make the 22 reserve seem like a lean Bordeaux.

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Hold it for more years or give it away?!?

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Dan is the better source than I am, but I would hold it until it is 12-15. The few times that I have had da Capo young, they show well if you like a lot of big, young, dark fruit, but, like regular Pegau, they don’t show what they can be until after some years.

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OK OK, you can give it to me, if you insist :innocent:

I would say that this will be great from about 2035 - 2040. Another decade should see it right.
I find 2021 and 2022 about as different as Pegau gets. 2021 is delicate (by Pegau standards) and should peak in the early 2030s. The 2022 is a 20+ year wine.

Of course I found out what my opinion on Pegau vintages is worth when I cracked the 2016 last week… like trying to drink a steel door.

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