Pierre Ferraud's Domaine de Pegau is the closest Chateauneuf du Pape in style to those of the legendary Henri Bonneau. Yet this offering from Jean-Claude Mestre is not totally dissimilar from the big, blockbuster style of Bonneau's Chateauneuf du Pape. Pepper, garrigue, truffles, and ripe, jammy black plum and cherry fruit reluctantly emerge with coaxing from this dark ruby-colored wine. In the mouth, there are gobs of tannin, structure, and grip, but there is no hiding its fleshy, full-bodied, beef blood-like taste. Not a Chateauneuf du Pape to sip casually, this large-scaled, traditionally-styled, dense, concentrated wine needs 2-5 years of cellaring. It should keep for 15. Those who admire the wines of Henri Bonneau and Domaine de Pegau will undoubtedly appreciate this offering.
Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173