A specialty of this estate is its Muscat Beaume de Venise and the 2006 exhibits marmalade and honeysuckle as well as a moderately sweet, full-bodied, unctuous personality. These wines do not improve in the bottle, so enjoy it over the next several years. I have a prediction to make for the next several years – look out for Vidal Fleury starting in 2008! With a brand new, state of the art winemaking facility, tucked beneath the Cote Rotie vineyards of the Cote Blonde, and a new management team, this famous estate, owned by the Guigal family, looks set to turn a page in a positive and dramatic fashion. All of these wines were made by the old regime, and I suspect things will change dramatically for the better in upcoming vintages. Importer: William Deutsch and Sons, White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-WINE

Readers shouldn’t look at Vidal Fleury as a stepchild of Guigal, as enormous investments are being made and I think the best days of Vidal Fleury’s wines are ahead of them. Vidal Fleury has consistently done a brilliant job with their dessert wine, the 2005 Beaumes de Venise. I know this is a southern Rhone, but it deserves attention as it is beautifully precise, with aromas and flavors of apricot/peach and marmalade. A honeyed style of sweet wine with good acidity and terrific fragrance, it should be consumed over the next year. Importer: William Deutsch and Sons, White Plains, NY; tel. (914) 251-WINE

The 1999 Beaumes de Venise exhibits orange marmalade and peach notes along with copious glycerin, medium to full body, and moderate sweetness. What surprised me when I visited Vidal Fleury was that I have always thought (and for the most part still believe) that these wines need to be drunk during their first 2-3 years of life to take advantage of the exuberant fruit and fragile aromatics. However, I was served the 1990 Beaumes de Venise, which remains fresh, lively, and aromatic, with little evidence of oxidation. I would still drink them young, but some vintages may prove exceptions. Importer: William Deutsch and Sons, White Plains, NY; tel. (914-251-WINE)