Redfruits, nice acid lifts this, fully mature and is super clean compared to the gamey/leathery/slightly funky 1999 Pegau CdP, but lacks the depth or flavor interest or sheer complexity of the Pegau!! — a year ago
Presented double-blind; cloudy in the glass, sediment?…almost opaque but not quite. Color a deep ruby with a slightly lighter rim. Aromas of red and dark fruits with baking spice and damp forest floor. On the palate, very generous black and red fruit with baking spice, earth and leather. Apparent use of some new French oak. Medium plus alcohol, medium acid. Tannins are soft and integrated. Long, immensely satisfying finish. Most thought it had 5-10 years of age on it; Napa or Sonoma Cabernet Sauvignon. Some thought Southern Rhone…noting that it shared some similarities in profile to Pegau and Rayas (!!!). Everyone swooned with it was revealed to be 2007 Rafanelli Zinfandel. FWIW, this wine has many years ahead of it. — 4 years ago
Maybe on the down side. Some dried fruit some soft tannins — 5 years ago
A standout that got better with every sip. Rich and velvety. Bacon fat and smoked meats. Seamless. For most of the group this edged out a punching-above-its-weight ‘04 Pegau. Perfect extraction and pronounced woodsy tannins suggest 10-20 more years of evolution. — 6 years ago
Magnum 2001 Domaine Dujac Clos de la Roche burgundy. Lunch at T house w B&ML M and L&M T. We love this wine, tho it unfortunately paled in comparison to the '03 Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape. — 8 years ago
[60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 20% Mourvedre] The extra Mourvèdre in this cuvée vs. the Maclura shows with some wild herbs, gaminess and extra structure, soft Grenache redfruits and dark Syrah fruit also show, I prefer this to the Maclura, though both are quite good, glad I have a few more of each cuvée!! — 6 months ago
From a cool vintage, young, bright, enticing.
Ripe yellow apple, green apricot, some white peach but also camomile, white tea, and white flowery notes on some mineral undertone.
On the palate this is medium bodied, with bright fruity acidity, a bit oxidative, tenclode galore with a hint of herby bitterness.
The is is a gorgeous wine. Not obvious and not everyone’s cup of tea, but what a wine! — 2 years ago
My first case purchases were Dom Pegau and Beaucastel, ‘98s. I was a complete novitiate, but I loved Châteauneuf-du-Pape. This is the last of those. I was sure it wouldn’t show well. Boy was I wrong. This is elegant and gorgeous. Soft and delicate. Loads of tertiary development but not of that pruney too-old-you-should-have-opened-this-earlier stuff. As emotional a glass of wine as I’ve had. Brilliant. 98 for a ‘98. — 5 years ago
I’ve had a few Law wines and have enjoyed them all, but this bottle of “The Nines” was a total stunner. In a lineup of 16 bottles of Grenache (Andremily, SQN, Fingers Crossed, Saxum, Lillian, Alban, Pegau Capo, Prefert, Clarendon Hills, etc), this was one of the more surprising wines of the day (in a good way).
100% Grenache. Removed the cork for about an hour ahead of time. Undeniable Grenache aromatics of red florals, cherry/kirsch liqueur, black peppered strawberries, and fruitcake. As Grenache so wonderfully does, it has a weightless yet commanding palate…kaleidoscope of red and black berries, sweet jerky, and an interplay of both sweet and spicy spices. Doesn’t show whole cluster/green hints like some of the others, and it also doesn’t show overwhelming vanilla/oak tannin either. Elegant and delicious.
May have underscored this… — 8 months ago
I had a few members of the Tasting Group crew join me in a sort of, "help me drink down my cellar" gathering. Everyone had an opportunity to dig through the cellar and select a bottle of their choosing; the identity of the wine was kept from everyone else and then presented double-blind though, since the bottles were being pulled from my cellar, it wasn't a true double-blind situation for me. This was poured into a decanter and served within two hours of opening. The wine poured a deep ruby, bordering garnet color and slightly turbid. On the nose, it was immediately apparent that this was a vinous wine with abundant ripe red and black fruits some of which came across bruised and desiccated. Along with the fruit was a striking smell of barnyard funk, pipe tobacco, leather, and exotic spices. On the palate, the wine was dry and the fruit set was more or less confirmed. The fruit was gorgeous, fully mature and the finish was long and savory. The tannins were pretty well integrated. Plenty of acid to keep everything afloat. I was headed to the Rhone based off the evidence, something with age and probably from a traditional producer in Chateauneuf du Pape. Due to the color, signs of sediment, abundance of dried fruit and the strong presence of secondary characteristics, I figured this was at least 15 years old from a warmer vintage. After thinking, I called 2005 Pegau. After drinking the 2005 Pegau later, I don't hate my call. This wine is singing and will likely last for at least another decade. — 3 years ago
2016 perfect — 5 years ago
This was the consensus favorite against Pegau Reservee same vintage. Both great and elegant. — 8 years ago
Bart Bartlett
A zesty refreshing start to this blend that gives way to very smooth salt and rich olive oil finish. — 5 months ago