A cuvee of Syrah and Grenache with a bit of Carignan first essayed in 2000, the Lanceyre 2007 Coteaux du Languedoc Pic Saint-Loup La Coste d’Aleyrac – due to have been bottled in February – is full of ripe black fruits to be sure, but offers more herbal, carnal, and mineral dimensions than the corresponding 2006. An impression of saline, marjoram-laced beef bouillon with cherry and purple plum extend to a long, satisfyingly juicy, clear, faintly and stimulatingly bitter finish. Look for this exceptional value to offer pleasure for another 3-4 years. Bernard Durand and Regis Valentin continue to render distinctively delicious wines that offer outstanding value of a sort not always to be found in the increasingly renowned Pic Saint-Loup sub-appellation.Imported by Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA; tel. (540) 347 9400