The 2013 Persia is more Syrah-dominated and reminds me of an outstanding St. Joseph from the Northern Rhone Valley. Medium-bodied, firm, focused and fresh, it has lots of peppery herbs, earth and beautiful minerality to go with a core of dark fruit. It's closed up slightly since release, so give bottles another year or so.

Made from 90% Syrah and 10% Mourvedre aged in 100% new oak, the inky/purple-hued 2009 Cotes du Ventoux Persia reveals notes of smoky barbecue intermixed with graphite, blackberries and cassis, a super texture, a full-bodied mouthfeel and tremendous opulence as well as length. It should drink well for 5-6 years. The leading reference point estate in the Cotes du Ventoux region, Domaine de Fondreche is run with extraordinary passion and impeccable attention to detail by Sebastian Vincenti and Manou Barthelemy. This large estate of just under 100 acres is biodynamically farmed and all the red wines are bottled unfined and unfiltered. Additionally, the Cuvee Nature was produced without any SO2 .Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083

The 2008 Persia (red), which is nearly 100% Syrah, is their attempt in the Cotes du Ventoux to produce something along the lines of a top-notch Cote-Rotie. This wine always exhibits plenty of aromatics, in this case white flowers, raspberry and black currant fruit, medium to full-body, very good acidity and minerality. It is not as strong as the 2007, but then again, neither is the vintage. 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