2011 Chateauneuf du Pape

(80% grenache, 6% syrah, 4% mourvedre and the rest "everything else"): Deep ruby. Ripe black and blue fruit aromas are complicated by potpourri, incense and licorice, with a smoky topnote. Sappy, focused dark berry and bitter cherry flavors are sharpened by juicy acidity and show very good depth. Lots of fruit here but there's good structure as well. Finishes sweet and long, with velvety tannins adding shape. As with the '12, there's a degree of elegance to this wine and less of the wild edge of the Pegaus of a few vintages back.

Beautiful in the vintage, the 2011 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee is a forward, perfumed example of the cuvee that has classic Pegau black fruits, tobacco leaf, pepper and leathery notes as well as medium to full-bodied richness and depth on the palate. Early-drinking by this estate’s standards, there’s nevertheless good mid-palate density and fine tannin. It should have 15 years or so of overall longevity. Drink now-2026. This classic, benchmark estate for traditionally made wines is run by the talented, no-nonsense Laurence Feraud and her father Paul. While I struggle to think of a bad vintage here, 2010 certainly has to rank near the top of the heap and both the Cuvee Reservee and Cuvee da Capo are truly stunning, world-class efforts. 2011 is strong here as well, and should be consumed while you wait on the 2010s to come around. The 2012s are more in the style of the 2010s, with slightly more reserved aromatics, solid purity and beautifully fresh profiles. They too should be more accessible in their youth than the 2010s. A new development for this estate is the roughly 100+ new acres of Cotes du Rhone and Cotes du Rhone Villages that have been purchased just south of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, roughly 4 miles from the domaine. Formerly called Domaine de la Jouve, it lies just outside the town of Sorgues and borders the Rhone River on its western edge. Now called Chateau Pegau, the wines from here include a white Cotes du Rhone, the Cuvee Lone, a red Cotes du Rhone call Cuvee Maclure and a red Cotes du Rhone Villages called Cuvee Setier. Laurence’s negociant label is call Selection Laurence Feraud and consists of purchased grapes from throughout the Southern Rhone. They always show traditional characters and can represent solid values. Importers: Dan Kravitz, Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA; tel. (540) 347-9400; Martine’s Wine, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400; and J & R Selections, Lansing, MI; tel. (517) 393-4441

Tasted from two different foudres; #1: Sexy, floral-accented aromas and flavors of blueberry and candied cherry. Spicy and energetic, with good clarity and lift. #2: Deeper and darker in character, showing intense cassis and licorice character and round, velvety tannins. The final wine should be as approachable as most '11s but with more heft and dark fruit character. I also detected less wild qualities in these samples than I've seen in recent vintages at Pegau. I daresay the ultimate wine could be downright polished.