This Week's TUESDAY Tasting
Laurence Feraud of Domaine Pegau Chateauneuf
January 29, 2019
Robert Parker called Laurence Feraud "brilliant". To put on my critical hat, I find her, as the French say "franche et honnete", frank and direct, and also very, very smart. Those qualities made the Chateauneuf du Papes she made with her father, Paul, acclaimed by critics as among the top in Chateauneuf.
Laurence Feraud
On her own she has extended the range of Pegau wines to include a more everyday range.
The wines are more solid than flamboyant, but lack nothing in precision.
Laurence 's whites are exceptional for the southern Rhone. She uses a larger amount of the Clairette grape rather than the heavier varieites with gives her wines a (pun intended) a livelier clarity than most. TheLone Cotes du Rhone Blanc has a plurality of clairette, enough to give it verve and intensity.
We'll taste Laurence's better-than-basic Selection Cotes du Rhone from the wonderful 2015 vintage.
Merlot is grown on clay riverine soils in the southern Rhone where it will perform much better than the native varieties. Laurence artfully blends it with Grenache and Syrah to make Plan Pegau Lot 12-13-14, a rich deep three vintage concoction where the whole is far better than the parts.
Maclura is a heady single vineyard Cotes du Rhone, comparabke to other estets' Cotes du Rhione Villages. We loved the 2015. Rumor has it that the 2016 is even better.
The pieces de resistance, will be the two Chateauneuf estate wines which Laurence will happily sign for those interested.
The 2016 Pegau Cuvee Reservee, has the excellent verve and spice of an age-worthy great vintage. We will extend the prearrival price to the end of this week.
The 2012 Domaine Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Laurence is another animal entirely, a selection from that vintage of the estate that is given an additional 2 years in wood for a total of twelve , a wine to savor now, tasting not of wood, but with the sleek maturity that barrel aging provides. It is exceptional.
White
2017 Cotes du Rhone Blanc Lone 18.99; Mixed Case, 17.09; Case, 16.14
2016 Domaine Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee Aroma: Very heady rather rich, intense, , light wood notes, complex and forward, lifted and complex bright star fruit notes; Mouth: Clean bright sweet acid on the front with a very nice herbal leesy note, long, deep fruit notes; Excellent 72; Mixed Case, 64.8; Case, 61.2
2016 Domaine Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee John Livingston Learmouth "yellow robe with a pale rim; the nose is sturdy, square, based on brioche bread with a note of orange marmalade, sea salt. The palate is traditional, grounded, a little dumb; it holds good glycerol-based content, is well couched, ends with a firm squeeze. There are citrus, orange zest threads along the palate that perk it up. This is good, has character, is a superior 2017 for la table. Decant it." 77; Mixed Case, 69.3; Case, 65.45
Red
2015 Laurence Feraud Selection Cotes du Rhone; Color: medium dark; Aroma: light fresh, juicy forward, soft; Mouth: juicy fresh rather pretty, firm, mouth filling juicy; Very Good 12.99; Mixed Case, 11.69; Case, 11.04
2016 Château Pegau Cotes du Rhone Maclura; 17.99; Mixed Case, 16.19; Case, 15.29
Pegau Plan Pegau Lot 12-13-14; Color: medium dark, Aroma: heady rather soft clean firm, pretty fine acid, soft spice, Mouth: light clean smooth rather concentrated, racy rather smooth, juicy rather clean, fine tannins, dense; Very Good Plus 21; Mixed Case, 18.9; Case, 17.85
2016 Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee; Color: Very dark purple; Aroma: Very dense & full, nice concentration, very purple, rich unctuous earthy, nice ripeness; Mouth: Sweet very dense smooth and thick, very clean, finely delineated acidity, herbal well integrated, fine tannins; Excellent - Outstanding Reg 110 Tasting Special $89 Net
2012 Domaine Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Laurence; Excellent $159 Special 129 Net
2019 Feraud Everyday Case: 3 bottles each Cotes du Rhone Blanc, Cotes du Rhone, Plan Pegau, and Maclura $181
any 12 for 15% off
Net wines can be included but do not discount
Order by phone at 617.367.8605, or reserve here: order@federalwine.com
Please pass this on to any friends who are wine enthusiasts!
- Len Rothenberg
