By Christopher Matthews
The Vaucluse, a French district (département) in the Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur region, lies in the heart of southern Rhone Valley. And while the Vaucluse is not well-know here, neither geographically nor in terms of wine, it encompasses many of the most revered southern Rhone wine appellations (AOCs) and Crus — Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Gigondas, Vacqueyras — as well as the ubiquitous Cotes-du-Rhone AOC (and its accompanying Villages).
Owning and operating vineyards across these famous Rhone districts, the Brunier family also produces wines in the less-exalted Vin de Pays de Vaucluse designation, which is less strict and more flexible than a typical AOC in terms of grapes allowed, yields, viticultural practices, etc. But in the Brunier’s case, its Vin de Pays de Vaucluse, Le Pigeoulet Rouge 2017, is absolutely equivalent in quality to the better known appellations; the Vin de Pays category is used only so that it can mix grapes from two different AOCs — Cotes-du-Rhone and Ventoux — which is not allowed at the AOC level.
The result is compelling. Continue reading