2008 Domaine du Pegau Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee

Very deep dark red colour with deep dark brick red hue. The nose displays perfumed aromas of lavender, incense, black cherries, spice and leather. Medium to full bodied the palate displays good richness for a 2008 with flavours of black raspberry, dark cherry, liquorice and spice with some leathery overtones. Fine grained, slightly chalky but balanced tannins. Good length with medium to long aftertaste of dried herbs, black raspberry, leather and spice. This wine is more advanced in it’s development than the 2007 showing less of the voluptuous primary fruit flavours that characterise that vintage and more of the developed tertiary characters.
Cellar 4-5 years (2015-2016).
Alc 14.0%

Other Reviews….
The 2008 Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee was about to be bottled at the time of my visit, and it will certainly be one of the better wines of the vintage. By the standards of Pegau, it is not a massive wine nor will it be terribly long-lived. However, this estate has an incredible track record in off years, so I would not be surprised to see this wine exceeding readers’ expectations in 10-12 years. Tasting through the three remaining lots that will be blended together, I rated them between 89 and 92. That makes it one of the better wines of the vintage. Medium to full-bodied, chewy and very evolved, the wine exhibits lots of earth, lavender and foresty/mossy notes intermixed with kirsch, peppery black currants and Christmas fruitcake spices. It should drink nicely for 10-12+ years. Laurence calls it a very “traditional” style that she believes will be as good as their 2006.
89-91 points
Robert Parker- The Wine Advocate