Pegau's 2019 Châteauneuf du Pape Blanc Cuvée Réservée is almost Burgundian in character, the way it balances upfront generosity with mouthwatering length. The flavors are different, offering hints of crushed stone, underripe pineapple, white peach and dried spices, then this medium to full-bodied wine adds vaguely chalky textural elements on the long finish. Silky and streamlined, it does a wonderful job of preserving freshness throughout.

The 2019 Châteauneuf Du Pape Cuvée Réservée was hard to read and incredibly reductive, which is a trait I've never seen from this estate. Black fruits, licorice, and roasted garrigue are all present in this medium to full-bodied, structured, tannic, firm wine. It's a head scratcher, but hopefully I'll be able to taste this again next year before it's released. Given the quality of the vintage, it should be better than this showing.