2009 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Laurence

Laurence Féraud described the 2012 wines as "a lot like 2010 in terms of fruit but their tannins are on the softer side." She believes, as a number of her neighbors do, that they'll be at their best before the '10s, wines she says "should just be forgotten for a long time, like the '05s." The greater--and necessary--emphasis on "darker" grapes in 2013 means that wines from this vintage will most likely be ageworthy, she thinks, but she wonders if fans of "traditional" Châteauneuf will be all that crazy for many of them, at least in the near term, because of the smaller-than-usual Grenache presence in the wines.

I've noticed that the wines here seem a bit more polished in recent years, which should come as good news to those who have found them rustic in the past. But make no mistake: these are traditionally made Châteauneufs that will likely always possess a wild streak unless a new cellar is built and a new-wave consultant is brought on board, both unlikely scenarios.

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.

Two thousand and eleven "will be a very attractive vintage for drinking early, because of the intense fruit" according to Laurence Feraud, who adds that "there is also an elegant character that wasn't there in recent vintages, which have all been more sauvage, more animal." Feraud compares 2011 to 2009 "because of the fruit expression, but less wild and more elegant." As a consequence of the naturally high yields of the vintage, which were unavoidable without a severe selection, she thinks that "there isn't the concentration, the density" in the wines to suggest long-term cellaring, "but there is balance and freshness so that's the trade-off." She thinks that 2010 can stand alongside the greatest vintages at her family's estate and compares the wines to her 2005s, but with "a greater degree of finesse and less overt tannins."