Sorry, just saw this thread as I have been on a work trip.
I import Pegau to most of the U.S.
Pricing: Laurence Feraud is one of the smartest people I know and that extends to business. In general, she prices vintages as she perceives quality, but is also sensitive to the market, in France, in the U.S. and worldwide. She has two basic price structures, for greater and lesser vintages. 2016 and 2015 obviously are greater vintages. 2014 and 2013 were lesser. She considered 2012 excellent and priced it accordingly, in the range of 2009 and 2010 (and now '15 and '16). The market did not agree, so there hasn’t been great sell-through.
She considers 2017 excellent. In fact, soon after harvest, she told me that if she had not made da Capo back-to-back for the first time in '15 and '16, she would have considered making a '17. However Chateauneuf is not as ‘a la mode’ today as a decade ago, so she priced 2017 in the same range as 2014 and 2013, and with a stronger dollar retail is at reasonable levels. Alan Rath’s post touched on this.
Style and quality: I think 2017 is an excellent vintage, it reminds me of a cross between '15 and '12, not as good as '15 but better than '12. I personally like to give bigger vintages of Pegau significant age, while drinking mid-weight vintages younger. I have hopes that 2014 will turn out like 2011, which is drinking incredibly right how, as are 2006 and 2004. In the same style, 1999 is at peak or maybe just past (provenance, storage, etc). Do not expect more than 20 years from mid-weight vintages of Pegau; they can live that long or longer but are usually not at their best past that.
commercial post: The retailer B-21 buys wines I import: Greg T talks about wines from the store being heat damaged. I will tell you that the owner is fanatical about appropriate transport and storage. I’ve been there when containers are being unloaded and even containers of inexpensive wines arrive at 55 degrees… always!
Pronunciation: Laurence says Peg Oh, Paul says Peg Ow. This ain’t rocket science: Paul grew up speaking Provencal, and ‘Ow’ is the Provencal pronunciation. Laurence grew up speaking French, and ‘Oh’ is the French pronunciation.
For those interested, about a year or so ago I posted my version of a vintage chart for 33 vintages of Pegau, should be searchable on this board.
My thanks to all who enjoy and are interested in Pegau.
Dan Kravitz