Road Reports

There is a new winemaker in Pic St. Loup and he's building quite a reputation as one of the hot new producers. His name is Christophe Peyrus and his winery, Clos Marie, is on the tongues of everyone in Pic St. Loup. Unfortunately his tasting room was closed so I have to report based on only the bottle I had tonight with dinner at the Auberge du Cedre.

The staff here really is high on him, not only because he is just down the road, but largely because he brings passion and energy to the world of wine. On the menu they offer three wines, each red. I opt for the middle one, 1997 L'Olivette, a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre and Grenache priced at 98ff.

It sure lives up to expectations. First it is very soft. Second unlike so many other Pic. St. Loup wines, this has more than the usual blueberries and other berry fruit. It has loads of terroir and olives, much like a Cote Rotie. That complexity, along with a dose of very good Garrigue flavor of course, makes this a delightful match to diced curried lamb with rice and vegetables.

Peyrus delivers a wine with numerous subtleties in a region full of blockbuster powerhouses, there-by providing a nice counterpoint to the "tour de force" style of his neighbors up and down the Pic Saint Loup region.

With a wine like this, and his others reputed to be as good, some smart and aggressive American importer should zero in on Peyrus' Clos Marie and bring the wines to the USA. They will easily be a hit with the foodies and wine geeks of New York, San Francisco, Washington D.C and elsewhere. But please save some for me!

Andy