The 2007 Cuvee Speciale Peby is a heavily extracted, extremely oaky effort with the wood so prominent that the fruit seems pushed to the background. There is a huge weight to the wine, which is very unusual in 2007, and there is good purity and density, but the oak is overwhelming at this point. The wine possesses outstanding concentration, and if the oak becomes better integrated, it will merit its score and then some. Patience is most definitely required as it needs at least 2-4 years of cellaring. This has always been a good estate, but the new proprietor, Silvio Denz, has pushed things to a higher standard by lowering yields and doing an even stricter selection.

Red-ruby. Exotic berry liqueur, licorice and espresso on the nose, plus tropical chocolate and leafy nuances. The rather broad palate shows a restrained sweetness to the redcurrant, mineral, tobacco and herb flavors. Slightly green on the finish, with dusty tannins.