As can be discerned from my anecdotes concerning his 2009s, had I not purchased for my cellar some bottles of Magnon's 2008 Corbieres Rozeta, it would have been far too late to taste this wine in its author's cellar in April (and unfortunately I have not tasted the 2008 Campagnes though I am still going to try to remedy that omission). There is a fascinating but somehow not at all disconcerting bifurcation to this wine, with a combination of lightly dried berry character and at the same time tart cherry, cranberry, and black fruit notes, a juxtaposition that reminds me a bit of Zinfandel. Pungent suggestions of sage, fennel, and toasted nuts add interest to the nose and to a palate at once seamless and bright. The finish here positively bursts with primary juiciness and energy yet at the same time that sense of desiccated fruit concentration as well as the herbal pungency persists, accompanied by a mingling of chalkiness with oceanic salinity and alkalinity that convey a capital-"M" mineral dimension. I find this utterly irresistible, and anticipate its being fun to follow for at least the next 3-4 years, though it might well go well beyond that. (Unfortunately, I own too few bottles to take the risk.) Maxime Magnon - for more on whose background, ideals and at times unorthodox methods, consult my report in issue 183 - continues to reclaim vineyards of impressive age and altitude (up to 250 meters), going so far as to interplant selection massale vines of Grenache Gris acquired from a specialist, biodynamic pepinieriste. A mule and several cattle serve for weed control and fertilization. Magnon's small parcel of young Syrah vines - trained en goblet - last year yielded a mere six hectoliters per hectare. Meanwhile, all around Magnon's parcels one sees young Syrah vines of dubious clonal origin planted in south-facing locations and virtually guaranteed to do little but accumulate sugar (if they do not succumb to drought), all of which represent ancient vines of Carignan, Grenache, and their indigenous ilk that were ripped out because (for now at least) the local cooperative will pay a marginally higher price for Syrah - a sad scenario mirrored all across the Languedoc. Around 70% of Magnon's schist and chalk-clay acreage, incidentally, is theoretically Fitou, but he continues to express no interest in bottling wine under that appellation. Magnon began harvesting his 2009s already in late August, spurred by high heat and relentless North Wind. The raw materials from 2010 for his two top cuvees are impressive, rich yet vibrant and ranging from 13-14% alcohol - not that anyone ought to miss out on the corresponding 2009s. There will be a slight price increase with 2010, but - provided Magnon's style speaks to you and you have cool storage for low-sulfur wines - these represent excellent values. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 524-1524