The 2010 Vacqueyras Les Hauts des Castellas is a Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre blend aged in a combination of tank and oak. A fabulous effort, it exhibits an opaque purple color as well as notes of incense, ground pepper, creme de cassis, kirsch, lavender and licorice. Supple as well as fabulously concentrated, this super-star of the vintage should drink well for a decade. Vignerons de Charactere is a large cooperative that controls nearly 1,300 acres in Vacqueyras from many growers/domaines from which they bottle many of their single domaine wines. The quality is impeccably high as this is one of the best run coops in southern France. These cuvees range in price from a low of $20 to as much as $75, but most are in the $25 range. They are located on the road to Vaison La Romain north of Vacqueyras itself. The wines listed include all my favorite cuvees, and they all merit serious attention. Various American importers, including Importer: W. J. Deutsch and Sons, Ltd., White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-9463; Ideal Wine & Spirits, Medford, MA, tel. (781) 395-3300; and Fruit of the Vines, New York, NY; tel. (212) 765-2970