Magnon had to open a magnum of his 2009 Corbieres Rozeta for me as not a single 750 ml. bottle could be found. This year's cuvee - weighing-in at a mere 13% alcohol - consists of 60% Carignan, with the rest split about equally between Grenache and Cinsault. Black raspberry in fresh and distilled form is beautifully complimented by heliotrope and peony perfume that persist inner-mouth with luscious refreshment and uncanny levity. Smoky black tea notes on the nose have their counterpart in invigoratingly nippy, tea-like tanninity, while toasted hickory, chalk, and saliva-inducing salinity add to the irresistible intrigue of a lingering finish. The almost explosively intense, dizzyingly-dynamic aromatic interplay of flowers, fruits, and sea breeze left in the empty glass is in itself worth the modest price of admission to this garden of delight and outstanding value. 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