2012 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes

Opaque ruby. Smoky, deeply perfumed aromas of dark fruit preserves, pipe tobacco and woodsmoke, with a peppery overtone. Lush and appealingly sweet on the palate, offering distinctly ripe cassis and blueberry flavors and a hint of mocha. Closes smoky and warm, with resonating spiciness and sweet, slow-building tannins.

Also seeing a big portion of stems, the 2012 Gigondas Vieilles Vignes is 95% Grenache (the balance is Syrah and Mourvedre) that comes from 100-year-old vines and higher elevation vineyards. Ground pepper, leather, mineral, charcoal and smoky dark fruit all flow from this medium to full-bodied, supple and nicely textured effort. Surprisingly polished and elegant, with beautiful purity of fruit and great acidity, it’s a knockout effort to drink over the coming decade. Proprietor Michel Tardieu fashions a bevy of smoking southern Rhones, most of which end up being great values. Importer: Wilson-Daniels, St. Helena, CA; tel. (707) 963-9661

Dark purple. Gloriously rich and spicy. Polished and racy. Real energy and sophistication here. But terroir too. Tannins are almost smothered by the complex fruit. A hint of liquorice on the (very refreshing) end. (JR)