This wine performed well, although it is made in an oaky, international style, with less typicity than some wines of the appellation. The 1998 Cote Rotie La Garde reveals cassis and black raspberry notes along with smoke and fried bacon. Spicy oak is present, but it is sweet and integrated. Rich, medium to full-bodied, and excellent, it will drink well for a decade. Importer: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173