A ripe, fleshy and beautifully textured Southern Rhone, the 2012 Rasteau offers lots of ripe black cherries, melted licorice, crushed rock and bouquet-garni qualities to go with a medium+-bodied, balanced and fresh feel on the palate. It's rock solid and will dish out plenty of pleasure over the coming 5-7 years.

Chocolate notes as well as rustic tannin are found in the substantially sized 2003 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Rasteau. Big, dense, and potentially outstanding, it will benefit from 1-2 years of cellaring, and will drink well for 7-10 years. Importers: Dan Kravitz, Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA; tel. (540) 347-9400 and Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400