2009 Domaine du Pegau, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Cuvee Laurence 12x75cl

Domaine du Pegau: A Châteauneuf-du-Pape Benchmark

Situated in the heart of the Southern Rhône, Domaine du Pegau is universally revered as one of the ultimate bastions of uncompromised, old-school winemaking in Châteauneuf-du-Pape. While the Féraud family has been farming land in the region since 1670, the estate in its modern form was formally established in 1987 by Paul Féraud and his daughter, Laurence Féraud. Laurence’s dynamic leadership, coupled with Paul’s deep ancestral knowledge, quickly propelled the domain from a respected local secret into an international cult sensation.

Today, Laurence brilliantly directs the estate, managing roughly 21 hectares of prime, old-vine parcels. By fiercely resisting the modern trend towards heavily extracted, highly polished wines, Pegau remains a definitive reference point for enthusiasts seeking the raw, majestic soul of traditional Châteauneuf.

A Style of Wild Perfume and Unapologetic Power

The defining hallmark of Domaine du Pegau is its robust, deeply complex, and intensely savoury style, which completely ignores modern cosmetic shortcuts. Sourced from a complex patchwork of soil types, including the iconic rock-strewn, galet-covered terraces of the La Crau plateau, the fruit naturally achieves magnificent phenolic maturity. In the cellar, the winemaking adheres to an uncompromisingly traditional protocol: the grapes undergo whole-cluster fermentation with native yeasts in old, unlined concrete vats, with absolutely no destemming or temperature control.

The wine is subsequently aged for up to two years in ancient, neutral oak casks (foudres). This non-interventionalist regimen yields a wine characterised by a dark, brooding concentration, firm structural tannins, and a hauntingly wild aromatic profile of smoked meats, leather, garrigue, black olives, and kirsch.

The Legendary Cuvées Of Pegau

The world-class reputation and blue-chip quality associated with Domaine du Pegau are anchored by its flagship release, the Cuvée Réservée, an expertly woven blend dominated by old-vine Grenache, alongside Syrah, Mourvèdre, and small amounts of the other ten historically permitted regional varieties. In exceptional vintages, the estate crafts a series of legendary, highly allocated luxury cuvées, including the monumentally structured Cuvée Laurence (which receives extended cask ageing) and the mythical, ultra-rare Cuvée da Capo, sourced from ancient vines in La Crau. Through low yields and an uncompromising barrel selection process, the Féraud family delivers spectacular consistency across varying vintages. Celebrated for their jaw-dropping depth and magnificent symmetry, these investment-grade red wines require patient cellaring to shed their tightly coiled youth, eventually evolving into multi-layered masterpieces over several decades. Learn more about
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