Wine Reviews: Peju Province
Peju Province Winery sent me their new releases for review, so here they are. Overall, I was struck by their high quality. Nothing below 90 points, with the 2016 “The Experiment” scoring a stunning 97 points.
2016 Piccolo (Napa Valley). At forty bucks, this is a pretty good value for a Napa wine this distinguished, from a winery with as good a track record as Peju. The proprietary blend is comprised of the major Bordeaux varieties, with Petite Sirah and Sangiovese added for good measure. The result is a wealth of flavors: raspberries, blackberries, cocoa, blueberries, cappuccino, wild anise, thyme, and plenty of spices, pepper especially. There’s not a lot of new oak; the wine doesn’t need it, but what there is brings a rich layer of sweet vanilla and toast. The tannins are what you’d expect from Peju: thick and complex, but soft and ripe. I would drink this wine immediately, with almost anything that wants a medium- to full-bodied, dry, fruity red wine. Score: 90.
Peju 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon (Napa Valley). A very great wine from a drought vintage, Peju’s 2015 is absolutely delicious. Blended with a little Petit Verdot and Merlot, it shows immense, concentrated flavors of ripe blackberries, Cassis liqueur, sweet black licorice and cocoa, enhanced with oak notes of sweet vanilla and toast. The tannins are complex, lush and ripe, while there’s enough acidity to provide a clean balance of structure. The finish goes on and on. This lovely wine really captures the essence of a Napa Valley Bordeaux blend. It’s so easy to enjoy now, you might want to capture the beauty in all of its youthful brilliance, but it should hold in the bottle for six years or so. Score: 95.
Peju 2018 Sauvignon Blanc (Napa Valley). The first duties of Sauvignon Blanc are to be dry and crisp. This lovely wine succeeds on both levels. With brilliant acidity and just the tiniest hint of oak, it allows the fruit to star: grapefruit, papaya, lime and gooseberry, with a spicy white pepperiness that stimulates the palate. A touch of green grass adds to the complexity. It’s an exceptionally versatile wine at the table, but I might pour it with salad of greens, grapefruit and feta cheese, drizzled with olive oil. At a retail price of $22, it’s affordably elegant. Score: 90.
Peju 2015 Merlot (Napa Valley). Rich and dense in the modern style, this 100% Merlot stuns right out of the gate. It explodes in the mouth with cherries, chocolate and red licorice, while plenty of new French oak brings even richer elements of sweet toast and wood spice. The structure is just beautiful: soft, intricate tannins seem to melt on the palate, while bracing acidity cleanses and refreshes. Made from grapes sourced from various sub-regions of Napa Valley, the wine shows deft skill at the art of blending. I’d drink it now and over the next year or two, before it starts to lose its precocious youthfulness. At $48 the bottle, it’s a good value. Score: 93.
Peju 2016 The Experiment (Napa Valley). They call it an “experiment” because the winemaker used dozens of different coopers and barrel-roasting regimens to create this 100% Cabernet Sauvignon. But far from chaotic, it shows exquisite control. Certainly the darkest and sturdiest of Peju’s new releases, it’s a big, bold wine of immense depth and complexity. The flavors, of black currants, chocolate, vanilla bean, espresso and oaky toast, are not unique—most upscale Napa Cabs share it. But what makes this wine stand out is its sheer elegance. That’s a hard word to define, but you know it when your palate experiences it. I would place this wine beside the most culty of Napa Cabs and bet that it would acquit itself well. It’s so luxurious and delicious now that there’s no reason to age it, but if you want to, it should hold for a decade. Score: 97.
Peju 2016 Cabernet Franc (Napa Valley). Over the years, my reviews of Peju’s Cab Franc routinely described it as soft, delicate and gentle. That remains the case, although it does seem more delicious than in past vintages. A rich ruby-garnet in color, it brims with forward flavors of cherry compote and anise, while balanced new oak provides a toastiness and a note of vanilla. There’s a lovely herbal note: think of sweet green peas. The addition of some Cabernet Sauvignon adds a darker, deeper structural integrity. I love the tannins: complex and intricate, but pliant, making it instantly drinkable. I see no reason to cellar this, but if you insist, it will hold for four or five years. Score: 92.
