2007 Cotes du Rhone Bouquet des Garrigues

30% Clairette Rose, 25% Grenache Blanc, 20% Bourboulenc, 15% Roussanne, 10% Viognier Quite rich on the nose and then very broad but with the tension of Bourboulenc – still a bit chewy but there is lots of interest here. (JR)

The softest, most Provencal-like is the 2007 Cotes du Rhone Bouquet des Garrigues, which is filled with peppery lavender, and roasted Provencal herb notes, gorgeous levels of juicy black cherry and black raspberry fruit, medium to full body, and super purity as well as length. It is a sexy, mouthfilling wine that is sure to please both the palate and the purse. Enjoy it over the next 3-4 years. Year after year, this estate continues to produce some of the finest Chateauneuf du Papes and Cotes du Rhones. Widow Sylvie Vacheron has done an excellent job carrying on the legacy of her husband, Jean-Denis Vacheron, who was killed in an automobile accident several years ago. Both vintages of Chateauneuf du Pape are performing brilliantly, with the 2006s showing even better from bottle than they did from barrel, and the 2007s are as stunning as one might expect in this historical vintage in the southern Rhone. The Chateauneuf du Pape Les Safres is 100% Grenache aged completely in foudre, the Les Quartz is a blend of 85% Grenache (aged in foudres) and 15% Syrah (aged in small barrels), and the Clos du Caillou Reserve is composed of 60% Grenache and the rest equal parts Syrah and Mourvedre. The Grenache is aged in cement tanks, and the Syrah and Mourvedre are kept in one and two-year-old, 600-liter demi-muids. To reiterate, the 2006s have turned out to be even better from bottle than they were last year from barrel - a common occurrence in Chateauneuf du Pape, and always a sign of high quality, natural winemaking. Along with the Coudoulet of Beaucastel, the limited Cotes du Rhone cuvee from Vieille Julienne, Domaine Janasse, and the Cotes du Rhones made by Alain Dugas at La Nerthe, this estate produces the finest Cotes du Rhones of the appellation. Importers: David Hinkle, North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 848-8910, and a Christopher Cannan Selection, various American importers, including Michael Skurnik, Syosset, NY; tel. (516) 677-9300 and Diamond Wine Merchant, Oakland, CA; tel. (510) 567-9897