This was my note from about a year ago on the 11.
Wednesday, August 6, 2014 - Decanted about an hour. This was very clean, with no barnyard or funk. Red fruited, some ground white pepper. A little soft at first but with air some tannin and structure started to show. Very solid. Drinkable now but should improve some.
After all these posts I thought I better try one. Don nailed it - this is drinking really well now. I like that the older a CdP gets the closer it gets to Burgundy. This had a little extra added spice and provencal aromas. A very nice wine.
This bottle of 2001 Pegau [CNDP] was gray market (Shipped by Allyn Scott, imported by Wine Cellars Ltd.) picked up somewhat after release, from a normal retailer that seemed an unlikely purveyor of those channels. It’s still drinking great on day 1, which just a hint of bretty Band Aid on day one, but lots of lush, sweet fruit and deep flavor intensity despite the orange color. But by the second day, it starts morphing into a brown sugar / caramel profile. My better half found it too leathery, sweaty, saddley for her tastes so hers got poured into mine; they didn’t want to hear the ‘this is how older Chateauneuf can evolve, feature not bug etc.’ I love Rhones with some bottle age on them, but I’m not letting these go any farther, and will consume on the first night. Although I’m not sure I have any left. Still solid A wine, all things considered.
I realize it’s all part of the charm (like Ch. Musar) but there is such difference between Pegau bottles, even from the same purchase.
I love the 2001 Pegau - and I think your bottle was not in the best possible shape.
I had this wine last in December and it should be still darker and not fading on the 2nd day. This is still a strong wine - with only hints of leather after a long time open.
I drank my last 1994 last night. Still drinking really well although I do like my 2001s more.
1994 is at or past peak, I had my last bottle about 2 years ago and it was on the cusp between fully secondary and early tertiary. Still a pleasure, but not one to wait on.
IMO 2001 Reservee is at or near peak and can hold easily another ~5 years. Obviously provenance is important. The more times the wine is moved, the faster it will age. Arv’s bottle went (at least) from France to England to the U.S.; it could have moved (many) more times than that. When I imported Pegau (1988 - 2023), it moved in temperature controlled containers from France to our temperature controlled US warehouses and we did everything possible to make sure it went to our distributors under optimal conditions. I’ve got a few left in my basement, they are for special occasions and I’m in no hurry to drink them up.
Dan Kravitz
I’d note that bottle was probably purchased 2003 timeframe, I’m guessing from Zachy’s retail, which is why I thought at the time it was odd, after delivery, noting all the unusual stickers on various CNDPs recieved. It’s been at 50F for the first half of its life, and then 57F the second half. Cork looks great, fill is high.
But I’m not fussed about it, after a few decades, there can be normal variation. Cork is a closure with inconsistent oxygen transfer rates.
