The deep ruby-hued 2006 Cote Rotie Les Grandes Places exhibits notes of smoked herbs, black cherries, cassis, incense, camphor, and toasty oak. The wine displays excellent density on the attack, but the tannins and wood then kick in, giving it a more attenuated, austere finish. I prefer the 2006 Cote Rotie La Landonne at present, but this cuvee could turn around with additional bottle age. Give it 2-3 years of cellaring, and consume it over the following 10-12 years. Jean-Michel Gerin used to sell 30% of his production in the United States, but when I visited him in late 2007, he was no longer exporting his wines to America. He told me he was not getting paid, and I suspect he is only one of what will undoubtedly be many casualties of the international economic crisis. It is sad to see consumers being denied access to some of the best wines being made in France as well as elsewhere. Importer: Bond Street Imports (www. bondstreetimports.com)