2022 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée

Laurence Feraud explained that the maturity of the grapes was inconsistent in 2022, unlike in 2020. “It bothers me when there is no uniformity in grape maturity,” Feraud emphasized. “The various summer heatwaves halted the ripening process for some berries while others continued to ripen. That's why, on the same vine, there were unripe, ripe as well as overripe berries; there was a bit of everything. And some grapes had been damaged by hail.” This situation necessitated rigorous sorting both at picking and during reception at the winery. Apart from the lack of uniformity, Feraud also pointed to the fragile state of the global fine wine market as a reason not to bottle a Da Capo in 2022. During this tasting, I was deeply impressed by the Châteauneuf-du-Pape Blanc Cuvée A Tempo, which performed extremely well in both 2021 and 2022. The 2023 Côtes-du-Rhône Blanc Cuvée Lône is another white wine worth seeking out, bottled under the Château Pegau label. As for the reds, the 2021 Châteauneuf-du-Pape Cuvée Réservée turned out well, albeit not as impressive as I had hoped during my initial tasting last year. That said, it would be foolish to dismiss the 2021, given its elegant appeal. On the other hand, the 2022 is a much more serious, structured and concentrated Cuvée Réservée.