The 1995 Cote Rotie Blonde et Brune is a classic wine for the appellation. Its dark garnet/ruby/purple color is followed by a jammy nose of pain grille, white flowers, black raspberries, olive, and pepper. Firmly structured with a rich, fleshy mid-section, and plenty of tannin in the finish, this gorgeously seductive Cote Rotie should be Marcel Guigal's finest Blonde et Brune since the 1991. Anticipated maturity: 2001-2014. Importer: Fred Ek, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153

Full-bodied and balanced, focusing on mineral, plum, blackberry, game and leather, the complexity grows as all these flavors cascade to a long, elegant finish in this lovely Rhone red. Drink now through 2010. 26,665 cases made. -PM