Bought on release and stored in my cellar since purchase. Decanted for 1 hour.
Crimson in color. 13.5% ABV. Substantial sediment. Classic nose of red fruits, garrigue, roasted herbs and wet asphalt. Medium body with exquisite acidity. Fresh and vibrant. Dried cherries, kirsch, blood and tobacco on the palate. Exceptional length on the finish. Stunning CdP that is still shining at twenty years of age. This vintage of Vieux Donjon has to be in consideration for the best wine they have ever made. Drink over the next 2-4 years.
My rating: 96 points.
Last bottle of 6 IIRC. Saying good bye to an old, trusted friend.
Probably a good choice. I finished all of my '01 Donjon probably 4-5 years ago, but thoroughly enjoyed all of them. I have had much less luck with the the '03 Pegau…though I still have quite a few bottles (along with the much better '00 and '01 versions).
The CT reviews on the 03 Pegau are pretty glowing. I do understand there is a style difference and the vintage is problematic. The wine sounds special but I have not tried it.
I’m definitely not someone with a hard-line “stylistic” aversion to rich/ripe wines or warmer vintages (although I certainly tend to prefer more balanced wines)…And it’s not that I’ve noticed any roasted, over-ripe characteristics in the wine. I’ve just never found the '03 to show any real CdP character or taste like much of anything beyond generic “red wine”. I’ve seen the glowing reviews on CT as well, and always wondered if maybe I just got some bad bottles (maybe heat damaged, or just plain old “bottle variation”, etc.).
