1998 Domaine du Pegau Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Laurence
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A classic, old-school style of Chateauneuf du Pape, Laurence's 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Laurence is more mature and evolved than the Cuvee Reservee and shows lots of saddle leather, dried herbs and cedar in its core of kirsch and mulled blackberry fruit. Mouth-filling, concentrated, powerful and rustic, it should be consumed over the coming 5+ years or so. At this point, I prefer the fresher, more seamless and polished feel of the Cuvee Reservee.
Critic scores
Robert Parker
Jeff Leve, The Wine Cellar Insider
More reviews and scores
The 1998 Domaine du Pégaü Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Laurence is a beauty (and outshone the Cuvée da Capo on this showing) and displays thrilling aromatics of deep black fruits, meat, leather, licorice, and the hallmark spice and funk that only comes from Pégaü. Intense, and yet deep and layered on the nose, the wine doesn’t lose a beat on the palate with a rugged, full bodied feel, loads of texture, fantastic depth and concentration on the mid-palate, and a long, chewy finish that just keeps going. A great showing, this probably has two decades or prime drinking. Wow.
The 1998 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Laurence, the finest example of this offering I have yet tasted (even better than the 1989, 1990, and 1995), spent four years in small barrels prior to being bottled unfiltered. A spectacular effort, it is a monument to great Chateauneuf du Pape. A dense plum/purple color is followed by aromas of sweet black fruits intermixed with tobacco, cedar, pepper, and fruitcake. Powerful, rich, and concentrated, with a finish that lasts for nearly a minute, this wine is performing far better than when I tasted it a year ago. It is a legendary Chateauneuf du Pape in the making. Anticipated maturity: 2005-2025. Robert Parker, Wine Advocate February 2003