The opulent, seductive 2009 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cuvee Gabriel is two-thirds Grenache and the rest primarily Syrah blended with 5% Carignan. It offers abundant black cherry fruit notes intermixed with hints of loamy soil, pepper and garrigue. While deep and full-bodied with low acidity, it does not reveal the density of the 2010s, but it has a seductiveness and endearing charm that make it already complex and delicious. Drink it over the next 3-4 years. I tasted three early release 2010 red wines (which appears to be another terrific vintage in the southern Rhone). All three exhibits lots of color, extract and richness as well as fresh acids and sweet tannin. Moreover, they appear to be more ageworthy than the early maturing, but seductive 2009s.Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800

The last release from this vintage, the 2007 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cuvee Gabrielle is a blend of 55% Grenache (80-year-old vines) and the rest Syrah, Carignan, and Mourvedre whose upbringing is in old barrels. This unfiltered wine exhibits a dense purple color as well as sweet, sexy aromas of cherry liqueur, roasted herbs, licorice, and spice box. Full-bodied with superb purity, it is an exuberant, mouth-saturating red with no hard edges, and a seamless integration of tannin, acidity, and alcohol. This beauty fully illustrates what is so special about the 2007 vintage. Enjoy it over the next 4-5 years. Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Coatesville, PA; tel. (610) 486-0800

The 2000 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cuvee Gabrielle (unfiltered) displays a saturated ruby color in addition to a sweet nose of cassis and cherry liqueur. The finish possesses plenty of tannin, some rusticity, medium body, and excellent depth. It should drink well for 3-4 years. Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel (610) 486-0800

Rich, complex and aromatic, the 1999 Cotes du Rhone Villages Cuvee Gabrielle (50% Grenache, 25% Syrah, and the balance equal parts Mourvedre and Carignan) achieved 13.7% natural alcohol. With a deep, dense ruby/purple color, as well as a gorgeously sweet bouquet of blackberries, framboise, pepper, and cherry liqueur, it is opulent, lush, full-bodied, big, and chewy, with outstanding purity, and a nicely-textured mid-palate and finish. It should drink well for 5-6 years. Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel (610) 486-0800

A new discovery for me, proprietor Marc Besnardeau has turned out a delicious, unfiltered 1998 Cotes du Rhone Villages Cuvee Gabrielle produced from a blend of two-thirds Grenache and one-third Syrah. I have already consumed six bottles of this wine, all of which were immensely enjoyable. Notes of raspberry liqueur, cherries, and fraises des bois jump from the fruit-driven aromatics of this dark ruby-colored 1998. Luscious, round, seductive, sexy, and fruity, there is not a hard edge to be found in this delicious, disarming Cotes du Rhone. It should drink well for 2-3 years, but why wait? Importer: Peter Weygandt, Weygandt-Metzler, Unionville, PA; tel (610) 486-0800