Chateauneuf du Pape Cuvee Reservee Pegau 2023 (750ML)

Grenache makes up 80% of Pegau's 2023 Cuvée Réservée, with 6% Syrah, 4% Mourvèdre and 10% other varieties completing the blend. The Châteauneuf-du-Pape season opened with a dry winter, but late spring rain set the vines up well; a hot, dry summer then brought excellent ripeness and generous yields, while the Mistral kept the fruit healthy. The wine is raised in foudre. Violet, rosewater and ripe red fruit open the nose, followed by darker berries, garrigue, white pepper, leather and spice. It is generous on the palate, with velvety tannins, a streak of freshness and a lingering, spice-edged finish. Critics point to 2028 as the start of its window. Match it with beef daube, grilled merguez or cassoulet.