Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf-du-Pape Cuvee Laurence 2009
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80% Grenache, 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre, 10% other varieties permitted in the Chateauneuf du Pape AOP.
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Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Starting off the reds and easily the best example of this cuvee since the 2001, the 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Laurence is incredible stuff. Deep, rich and layered, with copious notions of smoked meats, licorice, ground pepper, spice and saddle leather, it hits the palate with full-bodied richness, terrific fruit intensity and a rich, mouth-coating texture. Hard to resist now, it should nevertheless have two decades of longevity.
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Wine Spectator
Dark and ripe, with blackberry, plum and fig fruit layered with notes of ganache, charcoal and dark olive. This cuts a broad, smoky path through the finish, offering some slightly chewy grip and ample flesh. A lovely lingering bay leaf hint adds extra nuance. Impressive, though a touch drier in feel than the Cuvée Réservée in this vintage. Best from 2015 through 2030.
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Wine & Spirits
...earthy and dense, a staunchly traditional take on Chateauneuf-du-Pape. Spiced cherry notes emerge with air, as does an appealingly savory, miso-like complexity that lasts. The tannins hold it firm, lending the wine the chewiness of a shiitake.
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Ancestors of father and daughter team Paul and Laurence Féraud farmed olives, cherries and grapes in Chateauneuf-du-Pape dating back to the 17th century. The methods established centuries ago carry on in the current vintages, creating robust, concentrated, traditional red and white wines. For many years the winery was known as Domaine Feraud fils and they made traditional Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
In 1987 Domaine du Pegau was formed as we know it today, when Laurence Feraud returned from her winemaking studies and she teamed up with her father Paul to create the winery. Complementing each other they have conserved the authenticity and quality of their Chateauneuf-du-Pape whilst bringing it to the attention of wine lovers around the world.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.
Famous for its full-bodied, seductive and spicy reds with flavor and aroma characteristics reminiscent of black cherry, baked raspberry, garrigue, olive tapenade, lavender and baking spice, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leading sub-appellation of the southern Rhône River Valley. Large pebbles resembling river rocks, called "galets" in French, dominate most of the terrain. The stones hold heat and reflect it back up to the low-lying gobelet-trained vines. Though the galets are typical, they are not prominent in every vineyard. Chateau Rayas is the most obvious deviation with very sandy soil.
According to law, eighteen grape varieties are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and most wines are blends of some mix of these. For reds, Grenache is the star player with Mourvedre and Syrah coming typically second. Others used include Cinsault, Counoise and occasionally Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picquepoul Noir and Terret Noir.
Only about 6-7% of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is white wine. Blends and single-varietal bottlings are typically based on the soft and floral Grenache Blanc but Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne are grown with some significance.
The wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the relocation of the papal court to Avignon. The lore says that after moving in 1309, Pope Clément V (after whom Chateau Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan is named) ordered that vines were planted. But it was actually his successor, John XXII, who established the vineyards. The name however, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, translated as "the pope's new castle," didn’t really stick until the 19th century.