Winemaker Notes
Critical Acclaim
All VintagesBased on this showing, I couldn't definitely say that the 2020 Châteauneuf du Pape Cuvée da Capo will turn out better than the hugely impressive Cuvée Réservée. Lavender, bay leaf and purple raspberries stand out on the nose, while the palate is full-bodied, silky and elegant. It's perhaps slightly more concentrated, with more tannic grip on the finish and a firmer structure. One for the cellar.
Barrel Sample: 96-98
A complex nose of dark cherries, damson plums, dried spices, dried thyme, leather, some bark and undergrowth as well. Full body with great volume. Structured and balanced with a creamy core of berries and hints of dark chocolate. Fine texture with plenty of spicy character on the palate. It’s complex and savory with leather and profound aromas developing towards the finish. Still a bit firm at this stage with a brain-rattling finish that almost knocks you off your chair! Majority grenache (70%), 7% syrah, 3% mourvedre and 20% of the other 13 grapes. Best after 2026.
Another wine that showed better this go-round as well is the 2020 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Da Capo, and it's always a good sign when a wine gets better over the course of its élevage. Plenty of ripe black fruits, roasted garrigue, gamey meats, and flowers define the aromatics, and it's medium to full-bodied on the palate, with plenty of mid-palate depth, a focused, more elegant mouthfeel, and building tannins. While I’m not convinced this matches previous vintages, it’s not far off, and certainly time will tell. It's unquestionably a gorgeous Châteauneuf du Pape.
Barrel Sample: 95-97
Ancestors of father and daughter team Paul and Laurence Féraud farmed olives, cherries and grapes in Chateauneuf-du-Pape dating back to the 17th century. The methods established centuries ago carry on in the current vintages, creating robust, concentrated, traditional red and white wines. For many years the winery was known as Domaine Feraud fils and they made traditional Chateauneuf-du-Pape.
In 1987 Domaine du Pegau was formed as we know it today, when Laurence Feraud returned from her winemaking studies and she teamed up with her father Paul to create the winery. Complementing each other they have conserved the authenticity and quality of their Chateauneuf-du-Pape whilst bringing it to the attention of wine lovers around the world.
Famous for its full-bodied, seductive and spicy reds with flavor and aroma characteristics reminiscent of black cherry, baked raspberry, garrigue, olive tapenade, lavender and baking spice, Châteauneuf-du-Pape is the leading sub-appellation of the southern Rhône River Valley. Large pebbles resembling river rocks, called "galets" in French, dominate most of the terrain. The stones hold heat and reflect it back up to the low-lying gobelet-trained vines. Though the galets are typical, they are not prominent in every vineyard. Chateau Rayas is the most obvious deviation with very sandy soil.
According to law, eighteen grape varieties are allowed in Châteauneuf-du-Pape and most wines are blends of some mix of these. For reds, Grenache is the star player with Mourvedre and Syrah coming typically second. Others used include Cinsault, Counoise and occasionally Muscardin, Vaccarèse, Picquepoul Noir and Terret Noir.
Only about 6-7% of wine from Châteauneuf-du-Pape is white wine. Blends and single-varietal bottlings are typically based on the soft and floral Grenache Blanc but Clairette, Bourboulenc and Roussanne are grown with some significance.
The wine of Chateauneuf-du-Pape takes its name from the relocation of the papal court to Avignon. The lore says that after moving in 1309, Pope Clément V (after whom Chateau Pape-Clément in Pessac-Léognan is named) ordered that vines were planted. But it was actually his successor, John XXII, who established the vineyards. The name however, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, translated as "the pope's new castle," didn’t really stick until the 19th century.
With bold fruit flavors and accents of sweet spice, Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre form the base of the classic Rhône Red Blend, while Carignan, Cinsault and Counoise often come in to play. Though they originated from France’s southern Rhône Valley, with some creative interpretation, Rhône blends have also become popular in other countries. Somm Secret—Putting their own local spin on the Rhône Red Blend, those from Priorat often include Merlot and Cabernet Sauvignon. In California, it is not uncommon to see Petite Sirah make an appearance.