1995 Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée, 13.5% alc.: Dark garnet color, with only a hint of rust; classic Pegau perfume of cola, mahogany, smoke, iron and beetroot, all echoing and expanding in the mouth with a solid earthy base. Full bodied, smooth, rich and still well structured, this may still be another 5 years or so from reaching its peak, but already gives immense pleasure.
1997 Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée Réservée, 13.5% alc.: Good dark color and not nearly as effusive aromatically as the '95 noted above, nor as perfumed; also leaner and sleeker in the mouth, but it does give nice earthy, smoky beetroot, plum and iron. A solid and enjoyable Pegau, but not an exceptional one; may have a few more years of improvement, but no reason you can’t open and enjoy one now.
I had the 1999 about 2months ago and the 2000 Pegau CdP last weekend. It was a stunning wine both on the nose and in the mouth and still about five years from hitting it’s real drinking window. Very concentrated flavors!! I’d recommend this wine without hesitation for those than like CdP’s.
I’m having a hard time getting my head around all the reports I’m reading about these two drinking so well these days, Anthony. I’ve had them both in the last year and they seemed to need at least 5 years further cellaring. The 2000 seemed downright closed down. Different strokes or maybe bottle variation? Dunno…
It seems that Pegau’s wines always seem to need to age another 5 years. But the last '95 that I had was just beginning to rock, so another 5 years sounds about right. The 2000 is in a fine place right now and while it will last, there was no need to wait with the last one that I drank.
George, wine is funny that way. Every bottle is different??? All I can say is this bottle was not closed and drinking great though as I mentioned, still had enough youthfullness and concentration in fruit and why I said another five years. I will say or should have added the '99 did not have the concentration of flavors the 2000 did and I would be drinking any '99’s now or over the next few years.