WTN: 2003 La Nerthe, Font de Michelle, Pegau

I had an interesting tasting last night. We somehow decided to taste 2003 CDP wines, in part because this was such a controversial vintage, and in part because it simply sounded like a good idea at the time! I didn't buy many 2003 CDP, but did have a few stashed away. All the wines shared the classic CDP palate, lots of red fruits, earthy cherries, garrigue, etc., and there wasn't a lot to separate them from their flavour profiles, so I'll focus on other characteristics. I didn't take notes, so these are more hazy recollections.

I also brought over leftovers of a previous night's wine, a 2001 McWilliams Mt Pleasant Lovedale Semillon to start us off. A very good Hunter Valley semillon, and it actually improved a bit on this second night (and as it warmed up). Still quite young tasting, with nice citrus fruit - limes mainly - and a nice slightly oily texture to the wine, and just a hint of the toast notes that develop in these wines (B+/A-). I'll try my last bottle in 2-3 years, and was happy I picked up a couple of bottles of the 2005 on sale recently.

First up was the 2003 Chateau Le Nerthe. Very light in colour, you could have mistaken it for a pinot! Medium bodied, and with a pronounced acid profile, in a good way. It was well integrated, but definitely lifted the wine considerably. A very nice start, and I never would have guessed it was from 2003 (A-).

Next up was the 2003 Domaine Font de Michelle Cuvee Etienne Gonnet, and this was a clear level up in intensity and concentration. This was medium-full bodied wine, with very nice intensity and slight tannins. Very well balanced, it should last many more years (A-).

The 2003 Domaine du Pegau Cuvee Reservee was the final CDP of the night. I had a bottle of this a couple of years ago, and was NOT impressed. Every negative attribute of the 2003 vintage was there in spades: a hot, unbalances mess that didn't speak of CDP (I guessed it was a Zinfandel in a blind tasting). This bottle was a complete turnaround. Again, there was another step up in intensity here, this being a full bodied wine with a velvety texture. Certainly lower acids here, but this is a function of the domain rather than the vintage. Very impressive, speaking of its terroir clearly, even with a hint of brett that added to the package, dangerously easy to drink, nicely balanced, with great purity and complexity, and lots of time left to improve (A). Definitely the wine of the night, and I was pleased to have such a different experience with this wine. Also pleased to have another bottle left!

[Jenise]

How long ago was your last 03 Pegau? Devin brought one to lunch maybe three months ago, and it was like the other bottle you mention.

I looked and saw it was back in 2006, a little more than a couple of years ago now! It really was a night and day difference between the two bottles, though. The low acids made the latest bottle seem rather simplistic in some ways, but there was great typicity as well as underlying complexity. I've seen notes that go either way on this wine, so I think there is the normal bottle variation as well as differing tastes involved here. I can't say I'd want to drink this wine regularly, but it was an impressive wine, and completely recognizable as a CDP. I'm normally an "Old World/elegance/structure' kind of guy, but don't mind tipping over to the dark side every once in a while if the wine is not a caricature. This bottle wasn't (to me).

The 2003 vintage for Chateaneuf du Pape has been vilified as too hot, too pruney, too much roasted fruit. This vintage gets less love than 2007 in Oregon, which in hindsight has turned out better than predicted. The 3 wines we had last night were none of the above. All were decanted for 2 hrs in a wide bottom decanter. I'm looking forward to visiting more 2003's As I have a boat load.

2003 Chateau La Nerthe. Not my favourite producer by a longshot, but I buy them because our monopoly carries them faithfully. First clue these wines were not over ripe is the colour. Beautiful scarlet colour that swirled down the decanter, after pouring out the whole bottle you could still see thru to the bottom of the decanter. I have seen darker 06 Oregon Pinot's. Nose of lavender and white pepper. An initial blast of bright vibrant red fruit carried to the end on perfect acidity with slight tannin undertones. Delicious wine.

2003 Font de Michelle Cuvee Etienne Gonnet. First taste of this producer. Slightly darker wine. Similar nose. New level of intensity. Wow. This has to be as good as it gets for this wine. It attacks every corner of your palate with bright uplifted red fruit. Yikes is this good. Hard to put the glass down.

2003 Pegau Reserve. Have had this multiple times, its best showing was last summer from magnum. Normal modern purple. Great nose of warm asian spice and cinnamon. On the palate this wine does not attack, but oozes and coats your palate with a nice viscous texture. Long long finish. Totally different wine, slightly more ponderous after tasting the other 2. I would be hard pressed to guess Chateauneuf. Still pretty darn good. This wine seems to get better every time I taste it. I don't know how though, as it seems devoid of tannin and acidity to resolve. Seems more typical of 2003.

[Jenise]

Kipper!!! Good to see you here. I like your note on the Pegau: while noting that it's not what one would or should expect from CdP or Pegau, it's nonetheless worth having in your glass. Wines are often damned for not being classic versions of themselves while having a different mindset would allow you to enjoy the wine quite a bit.

Jenise thanks for the warm welcome and the kind words. I hope to contribute regularly.