2010 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Inspiration

An iconic producer of traditionally styled Châteauneufs, Pegau has a vast worldwide group of highly loyal fans, many of whom have trekked to the estate for a visit with the extremely hospitable and entertaining Féraud family. Laurence Féraud makes no apologies for the sometimes rustic character of Pegau's wines, which are sourced from the domain's 21 hectares of vines, made entirely with whole clusters and aged in old foudres and demi-muids for two years before bottling without fining or filtration. On the contrary, Féraud relishes the opportunity to continue the family tradition of making "wild wines that have their own personality. Like people with a unique character, not everybody is going to be in love with them." There will be a Cuvée Da Capo produced in 2015, she told me, making it the first to be bottled since the 2010.

The big news here is the Feraud family's recent acquisition of 41 hectares of vineyards, all planted to red varieties, due south of Chateauneuf and abutting Sorgues to the west, and spanning the Cotes-du-Rhone-Villages (25 hectares), Cotes-du-Rhone (5) and more generic IGP (11) appellations.This almost triples the Ferauds' land holdings (they own 21 hectares in Chateauneuf-du-Pape) and will allow them, according to Laurence Feraud, "to reach a far greater market than we could with Pegau."And while she continues her negociant projects throughout the southern Rhone, "there's nothing like having your own vines."I've noticed a bit more refinement and less sauvage character to the Pegau Chateauneufs in the last few vintages, with 2008 being a high-water mark for wildness and gaminess here.That said, a couple of '08s that I've had recently were in no way excessively funky, which wasn't the case a year or so ago.I suspect that bottle variation is at work here as I continue to hear of widely variable drinking experiences with this wine.Incidentally, the 1999 Pegau is a knockout right now, offering vibrant red fruit and floral character, striking freshness and fully absorbed tannins.