Last of the 2011s, and surpassing a number of more expense Chateauneufs, the 2011 Cotes du Rhone Les Claux (60% Grenache, 20% Syrah, 15% Mourvedre and 5% Cinsault aged in concrete and older barrels) is a pure, polished and decadently textured effort that gives up smoky black fruits, charcoal and toasted spice. Medium to full-bodied, with superb depth and richness, it’s a straight-up delicious effort to drink over the coming 3-4 years, Drink now-2017. Covering 45 acres (37 in red and the rest planted to white varieties) spread throughout Chateauneuf du Pape, this top-notch estate has been run by Raymond Usseglio’s son, Stephane, since 2004, with consulting help from Xavier Vignon. These wines are consistently outstanding and warrant serious attention. Importer: Weygandt-Metzler; tel. (610) 486-0700