3 | Wine | Shiraz / Syrah, France

"Deeply pitched aromas of cherry compote, potpourri and Asian spices, with an exotic note of singed orange. Concentrated but surprisingly lively, with densely packed dark berry flavors and a hint of bitter chocolate. The floral note comes back strongly on the impressively long, smoky finish."

"The fabulous 2011 Cornas Granite 30 is one of the great wines of the vintage. Elegant, with a black/blue color, sweet tannin and loads of spring flowers, crushed rocks, smoked game and blackberry fruit, this textured, loaded, supple, accessible 2011 should drink nicely for 15 or more years." -Robert Parker

"Surprisingly good, the medium-bodied 2008 Crozes-Hermitage exhibits aromas of tomato skin, roasted Provencal herbs, red and black currants, cherries, spice and earth. It should drink well for several years." -Robert Parker

"Vivid ruby. Textbook syrah aromas of cherry, dark berries, smoked meat and violet, with a mineral note adding vibrancy. Juicy and well-defined on the palate, offering fresh blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that expand on the back end. Finishes sweet and very long, with resonating floral and spice notes and impressive energy."

"Blackberry, spice cake and flowers on the nose. Then sweet and velvety in the mouth, with dark berry and cherry flavors that show a jammy quality. Soft tannins are buried in the fruit and add shape to the broad, pliant finish."

"Inky purple. Sexy aromas of candied dark berries, violet and Moroccan spices, with a bright mineral overtone. Lively and precise on the palate, which offers sweet dark berry flavors and gently chewy texture. Shows very good intensity on the finish, which clings with lingering minerality and spiciness. These vines are mostly in Mauves, according to Philippe Guigal."

"High-pitched, expressive aromas of raspberry, red licorice, spice cake and violet. Silky and perfumed in the mouth, with a suave texture and appealing sweetness to flavors of raspberry, strawberry liqueur and blood orange. Very pure and precise, finishing with silky tannins and noteworthy verve."

"As I have mentioned before, the Cote Rotie Chateau d’Ampuis is a blend of some of the very best sites the Guigal family owns in Cote Rotie. This cuvee is aged 38 months in 100% new oak casks, and about 2,000 cases are produced. The component parts include the famed vineyards of La Garde, L’Enclos, Grande-Plantee, Pommiere, Pavillon, Le Moulin and more recently, La Viria, which I still believe will turn out to be Guigal’s fourth single vineyard Cote Rotie when Marcel and his son, Philippe, decide it can stand alone. A super effort, the 2007 reveals notes of black raspberries, ground pepper, lard, roasted coffee, herbs and cassis as well as hints of licorice and tapenade, and sweet tannin. It is one of the most aromatically complex Chateau d’Ampuis Cote Roties I have ever tasted. The silkiness of the tannins and the up-front forwardness of the wine suggest it should be drunk over the next 10-12 years." 92-94 pts, reviewed by Robert Parker.

"As for the negociant northern Rhone selections, the dense purple-hued 2009 Cote Rotie reveals lots of black olive, bacon fat, black raspberry and blackberry fruit notes intertwined with hints of charcoal and underbrush." Reviewed by Robert Parker.