“You’ve got to be kidding me!”

Is what Agent Noir screamed when he saw this one up for grabs. He echoed it when the cork was pulled, and we all took a deep breath. The “how many cases are you getting?” question broke the silence… After a ton of restraint not to hoard all for ourselves, and external negotiations, we were able to secure a small stash of this vintage Châteauneuf awesomeness by infamous Laurence Féraud of Pégau.

Even if you’re remotely familiar with French wine, you know of Domaine du Pégau. Who else can boast 95-100 scores on 33 wines (yes, we counted) from just The Wine Advocate? Including a handful of 100 pointers?! Well, when Laurence isn’t busy running Pégau, being a caring wife, and a loving mother, she’s out hunting superb fruit to bottle under this négociant label. That many roles make this a very rare wine, as “superb fruit” by her high standards is highly scarce, to begin with.

Fascinatingly, she found this one at and raised it with the help of the Versino clan of Bois de Boursan, another Châteauneuf icon nearby. That’s like growing up in the Versailles amongst kings and queens, destined for a noble life.

Even the color is an aristocratic red, waltzing to-and-fro a ruby red cloak and a scarlet rim. Perfumy on the nose, laced with red berries that are oh so unique to Grenache, and pleasantly earthy tones. Gets more serious and darker berried on the palate while retaining fresh acidity and fine tannins. The finish is impressive, with spices, minerals, and dusty cocoa joining the rich red and black fruits for a symphonic, lengthy finale. For pairings, duck confit, cassoulet, charcuterie, or other regional classics will make this shine even brighter.

Basically, if you dig ultratraditional Châteauneuf-du-Pape inspired by the likes of Rayas, Bonneau, and Beaucastel, do not miss out on this gorgeousness.

At nearly half off of what already was a bargain, this will go fast…

91 Points – International Wine Report

“As this lovely Châteauneuf-du-Pape begins to open it delivers gorgeous aromas of dark plum and black cherries woven together with spices, white pepper, wild herbs, pretty notes of fresh lavender which all take shape. On the palate it offers a velvety texture, while remaining well balanced all the way through the long finish, where spices and fresh dark fruits leave a lasting impression. Overall, this is an excellent wine, but this will need a few additional years bottle age. Best 2017-2026.”

90 Points – Antonio Galloni’s Vinous

“Laurence Féraud, of Domaine du Pégau, set up her own négociant firm to take advantage of “all the fantastic wines around the southern Rhône” that she has access to and can sell for attractive prices. The lineup changes a bit from vintage to vintage, unsurprisingly, and the 2013 Châteauneuf-du-Pape comes from Domaine Bois de Boursan, whose wines have been steadily developing a following among fans of their old-school style. Ruby-red. A wild, smoke-accented bouquet of dried cherry, garrigue and game with a subtle floral overtone. Sweet and spicy on the palate, offering juicy dark berry and fruitcake flavors and a repeating hint of gaminess. In a distinctly sauvage style but not overly funky. Sneaky tannins add gentle grip to the long, smoky finish. Drink 2020-2026.”

90 Points – Wine Enthusiast

“This wine displays attractive notes of bay leaf and thyme typical of the region, but they overshadow the cherry fruit. Some leathery flavors also show up on the palate. There’s a silky mouthfeel, finished off by cocoa-powder-like tannins. Drink now-2025.”