772 | Wine | Great Red Wines Under $20, France

"Wonderful aromas of crushed blueberries, blackberries and sliced mushrooms follow through to a full body, with a dense palate and very polished tannins. A little chewy but it's a soft textured and delicious. Can't wait to try it with bottle age."

"Another winner is the 2010 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cuvee des Galets Plan de Dieu. Fashioned from 45-65 year old vines, this unfiltered blend of 60% Grenache, 20% Syrah and 20% Mourvedre is a killer value. It boasts a dense ruby/purple color as well as stunning aromas of kirsch liqueur, licorice, camphor, tobacco leaf and underbrush. Spicy, peppery and loaded with fruit, this medium to full-bodied red is another crowd-pleasing, classic example of Provencal viticulture that should age nicely for 4-5 years."-Robert Parker

"Reveals abundant aromas of crushed rocks, spring flowers and blue as well as black fruits in its darker, more cool climate style. It is completely different from the Grenache-dominated wines from the warmer climates of Cairanne, Rasteau, Vacqueyras or Gigondas. The impressive, deep, rich Vinsobres Les Cornuds comes from high elevation (400 feet) vineyards, and should easily age for 10 years." 90-93 pts, reviewed by Robert Parker.

"Another wine from Jean-Philippe Janoueix, this essentially generic Bordeaux is dominated by lots of Merlot, given its mocha, espresso, sweet black cherry and plum notes. It has gorgeous texture, terrific purity, and a full-bodied, hedonistic, fleshy appeal. This is a sleeper of the vintage and a great value, best drunk in its first 7-8 years of life." -Robert Parker

"The 2012 boasts an inky/blue/purple color as well as a stunning perfume of spring flowers, blueberries and black raspberries, a medium to full-bodied mouthfeel, and surprising density and richness. The final blend was 80% Merlot and 20% Cabernet Franc from a vineyard planted in clay and sandy soils at the bottom of the hillsides surrounding St.-Emilion. This long, rich, potential sleeper of the vintage should drink well for a decade." -Robert Parker

"Pure, showing a supple texture, featuring damson plum, black cherry and tobacco leaf notes that hang elegantly through the finish. Very fresh, with buried acidity."

"From tank, the l'Oustal Blanc 2009 Minervois Giocoso - incorporating some Cinsault along with its usual Grenache, Syrah, and Carignan - is redolent of incense, freshly-baked ginger cookies, and confitured cherry and black raspberry. Thickly and seamlessly rich, it displays, surprisingly, no greater sense of superficial sweetness than the corresponding 2008 (the leavening or fluxing effect of the Cinsault perhaps decisive in this regard). For all of its high-alcohol richness this also evinces an uncanny sense of finishing buoyancy of a sort that growers are quick to attribute to the magic of chalk and clay. There is terrific grip and lingering spice here yet without any objectionable heat, while a sustained sense of salinity serves for saliva inducement. This ought to superbly for at least 6-8 years."