The Parces' 2008 Banyuls Cuvee Leon Parce - which spends around a year in small barrels - is gorgeously-scented with confitured and distilled black raspberry, maraschino, marzipan, mint, and rosemary. The pungent impingement of resinous herbs persists on the palate, lending a sense of invigoration and counterpoint to what is otherwise a seamlessly sweet, unctuous performance, and notes of bitter chocolate and brown spices add further fascination to the long, soothing yet stimulating finish of a seductive treat that should not wear out its welcome over the next several years. (I tasted the blend that will constitute Domaine de la Rectorie's 2010 Banyuls Cuvee Leon Parce and it is just as impressive as the performance by its "little" sibling - a.k.a "Cuvee Parce Freres" - would lead you to expect. But since the wine was headed for close to a year's stint in barrel, it would have been misleading to supply a tasting note on it at this stage in its evolution.) I did not visit Marc and Thierry Parce's Domaine de la Rectorie this year, though judging by the samples that came my way, that was clearly my mistake. Jack Siler Selections (various importers), Paris; fax 011 33 1 45 45 23 59