Brusset does a good job in Gigondas, even in such a challenging vintage as 2003. Brusset was obviously concerned about pushing extraction too far, and the result is a lightly-styled 2003 Gigondas possessing a dark ruby color, plenty of sweet cherry and boysenberry fruit, a pleasant floral component, medium body, decent acidity, and an attractive, round, generous finish. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. An Alain Corcia Selection, various American importers, including Charmer Industries, NY; tel. (718) 726-2500; Southern Wine and Spirits, CA; tel. (510) 487-3332, Premier Wines, CA; tel. (510) 237-6284, and Calvert Woodley Wines, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 966-4400

The 1996 Gigondas Les Hauts de Montmirail (the cuvee imported to the United States that is aged for 12 months in 100% new oak casks), is one of the vintage's most intensely-flavored wines. In a year where few vignerons obtained this kind of extract in the southern Rhone, Brusset's wine boasts a black/purple color, and a gorgeous nose of blackberry fruit intermixed with spice and powdered stone-like aromas. There is also a touch of prune in this wine, which appears to have been produced from a very late harvest. Full-bodied, rich, and pure, with layers of fruit, this gloriously expressive, round, generous Gigondas should drink well for 12-15 years. Given the dry tannin in the finish, readers are advised to cellar it for 4-5 years. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083

The 1996 Gigondas Les Hauts de Montmirail (the cuvee imported to the United States that is aged for 12 months in 100% new oak casks), is one of the vintage's most intensely-flavored wines. In a year where few vignerons obtained this kind of extract in the southern Rhone, Brusset's wine boasts a black/purple color, and a gorgeous nose of blackberry fruit intermixed with spice and powdered stone-like aromas. There is also a touch of prune in this wine, which appears to have been produced from a very late harvest. Full-bodied, rich, and pure, with layers of fruit, this gloriously expressive, round, generous Gigondas should drink well for 12-15 years. Given the dry tannin in the finish, readers are advised to cellar it for 4-5 years. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083

The 1995 Gigondas Les Hauts de Montmirail is performing even better from bottle than it did from cask. The color is a saturated black/purple. This unevolved wine offers a huge nose of sweet black raspberries, cherries, and blackberries, as well as subtle pain grille notes from new oak. Extremely full-bodied, ripe, and impressively-layered, this graceful yet large-scaled Gigondas is crammed with fruit, and at the same time, well-delineated, with moderate tannin in the heady finish. This large-scaled wine competes favorably with the profound wines Brusset produced in 1989 and 1990. Anticipated maturity: 2000-2015+. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083

The 1994 Gigondas is an intense, medium to full-bodied, deep ruby/purple-colored wine made in an elegant style. The wine's Mourvedre component dominates, but I suspect the Grenache and Syrah will move to the forefront with more time in bottle. The wine possesses fine structure, some of Mourvedre's animal/tree bark-like scents, an expansive, chewy mid-palate, and loads of tannin and structure in the long finish. Although the wine achieved 13.5% alcohol naturally, it is closed and tight. Give it another 1-2 years of bottle age, and drink it over the next 10-12 years. This wine was tasted between June 1 and June 16, 1996. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083