Two late-release 2007s that have just hit the market are brilliant wines, among the best I have ever tasted from the cool-climate, high-elevation vineyard of Domaine de Fondreche. The 2007 Nadal (50% Grenache, 40% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre, all from vines over 70 years of age) is brilliant. Deep ruby/purple, with kirsch liqueur, licorice, spring flowers, and black raspberries, the wine is dense, medium to full-bodied, and despite being aged in small barrels, displays virtually no evidence of any wood. The freshness of the acids buttress this substantial, rich wine, which should drink well for 4-6 years. Both of these wines actually showed even better this year than they did last year. One of the consistently superb estates in the Cotes du Ventoux, Domaine de Fondreche offers very high quality and reasonable prices. The creation of Sebastian Vincenti and Manou Barthelemy, these wines are bursting with fruit and have loads of minerality and aromatics. They are beautiful efforts representing the best of what a young generation of French producers can do. The estate is just under 100 acres in size and is now 100% biodynamically farmed. As Sebastian Vincenti told me, 2008 was a very strong vintage for the whites but presented many challenges with the reds.Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083