Grenache

2005 Grant Burge Holy Trinity

Grant Burge, The Barrosa, Australia

2007 Domaine Soumade Rasteau Villages

Soumade, Rhone Valley, France

This is always a luxurious, elegant, lush and generous wine that never fails to deliver- especially from the fabulous 2007 vintage. The yields at this excellent domaine are always low generally 35 hl/ha ( which is tiny ) for Andres Villages and much less for his super cuvees. The grape mix is mainly Grenache, Syrah and Mourvedre, with the proportions varying a little each vintage. Maturation of his wine takes place in cement tanks before spending 6 months in a variety of oak. Finally the wines are fined with egg whites but receive no filtration. "Loaded with ripe blackcurrant fruits, spices and a touch of oak. Beautifully made, classy, with great depth and a long silky finish."

2007 Bastide de Michel Oliver 'Cuvee Antoine'

Tardieu Laurent, Rhone Valley, France

This one was the star of our staff tasting for under $30 wines we landed in our new container- its a stunning old vine syrah. "The wines of Domaine la Bastide de Michel Oliver are made by superstar winemaker Michel Tardieu, of Tardieu-Laurent. Located in the heart of the Luberon region, at the edge of Provence, the estate is one of the rapidly rising stars of Southern France, producing stunningly rich, complex wines at outstanding prices. This wine is comprised of 80 % Syrah and 20 % Grenache, primarily older vines (20+ years), aged for 14 months in half barrels from France. The 2007 Cuvee Antoine is deep red with complex spice and black fruit aromas, intense, rich fruit and rounded tannins. Outstanding value!" Robert Parker

2007 Charvin Cotes du Rhone

Charvin, Rhone Valley, France

Made from 35-40yr old vines. Predominately grenache based, unfiltered and minimal sprays it is a very natural wine that is a star with food. This cant come more highly recommended and if you havent experienced the brilliance of old vine grenache then this is the benchmark. "As usual, Charvin's 2007 Cotes du Rhone Le Poutet, a blend of 85% Grenache, 10% Syrah, and 5% Carignan, is one of the more attractive wines of this broad appellation. It exhibits an elegant black cherry, spring flower, loamy soil, garrigue, and spice-scented wine that should drink well for 3-4 years." Robert Parker.

2006 Vieux Donjon Chateauneuf-Du-Pape

Vieux Donjon, Rhone Valley, France

We just discovered a few cases of this gem. Now with 4 years of age and still at its original pricing grab this while it lasts. "An estate for connoisseurs with cold cellars, these traditionally made Chateauneuf du Papes rarely strut their stuff until they have been in the bottle for 5-7 years. Moreover, this is one of the few estates that has resisted the current fashion for producing old vine cuvee so all their old fruit goes into one cuvee. "Deep ruby. Smoky cherry and blackcurrant aromas convey a wild, gamey quality, along with suave floral and mineral lift; smells like a northern Rhone wine. Deep dark fruit liqueur and olive flavors are sharpened by zesty minerals and finish with impressive grip and thrust. Combines energy and depth deftly."91-94 Tanzer "Vieux Donjon's 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape is a powerful, seriously-endowed effort for the vintage, displaying more structure and muscle than most wines in this forward, fruit-friendly year. Classic Provencal characteristics of garrigue, licorice, lavender, pepper, and kirsch soar from the glass of this dark ruby/purple-tinged offering. In the mouth, it is masculine, tannic, medium to full-bodied, and powerfully built. Potentially one of the longest lived wines of the vintage, it will require 4-5 years of bottle age, and should evolve for two decades."90-92 Parker

2007 L'Oratorie St Martin Cairainne Prestige

L''Oratoire St Martin, Rhone Valley, France

Domain de l'Oratoire St-Martin is one of the Southern Rhone Valley's most conspicuous overachievers, making wines that are far above their humble appellations. All of their wines go into the bottle with no filtration and only a light fining. This is the type of estate that brings smiles to consumers who happen upon their wines. They are reasonably priced and qualitatively equivalent to wines selling at two or three times the price. This outstanding estate has been making fine wines for nearly as long as I have been writing."R.Parker. "Composed of 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre, and aged in both foudres and 500-liter demi-muids, the 2007 Cotes du Rhone-Villages Cairanne Cuvee Prestige is more fruit-driven than its 2006 counterpart. With silky tannins as well as sweet black currant, blackberry, charcoal, roasted herb, and scorched earth notes, this deep, fleshy, lavishly fruity 2007 should drink well for 5-6 years" 90/100 Parker

2006 D'Arenberg Stump Jump Grenache/Shiraz

D''Arenberg Wines, McLaren Vale, Australia

2004 Beaucastel Hommage Chateauneuf du Pape

Rhone Valley - Other, Rhone Valley, France

It is only made in the top vintages, but the very limited cuvee of 500 or so cases of Hommage a Jacques Perrin, which is a wine with 60% Mourvedre and the rest the other permitted varietals, primarily Grenache, Syrah, Counoise, and some Vaccarese, was produced in both 2005 and 2004. The 2004 is potentially one of the legendary Jacques Perrin cuvees since the debut vintage of 1989. The potentially perfect 2004 Beaucastel Chateauneuf du Pape Hommage a Jacques Perrin has turned out to be just an amazing wine and one of the profound examples of this cuvee the Perrins have produced. It certainly has all the power, density, and richness of the great years, but there is almost a surreal elegance and lightness for a wine this powerful and dense. Almost difficult to describe, the gorgeous multi-layered texture, and the heavenly perfume of smoked meats, flowers, blueberries, blackberries, creosote, and truffles is a knock-out. In the mouth, it is medium to full-bodied with incredible intensity, purity, and overall symmetry. There's nothing out of place in this remarkable wine, and it seems somewhat approachable already, yet it will no doubt have the uncanny ability to age for 25-40+ years. 96-98/100 Parker

2008 Domaine L'Hortus Classique

L''Hortus, Southern France, France

Domaine de l'Hortus's dramatic location up against the cliffs of the Hortus and Pic Saint-Loup massifs themselves and offering shallow terraces with exposures ranging from north-facing for whites and Syrah (some propagated from Clape and Verset budwood) to south-facing for Mourvedre (from Tempier), sets it apart from other properties in its sub-appellation, and Languedoc pioneer Jean Orliac brings an unprecedented three decades of familiarity with this rocky realm of scree and iron- and quartzite-rich limestone. The striking timber winery reminds me of California, as does the adventurous and open-minded spirit Orliac and his enthusiastic, family-dominated team bring to their work. Since 2000, the Orliacs have farmed and bottled the fruits of Clos du Prieur (under its own label), a property at Saint-Jean de Bueges in the Terraces du Larazac, similarly situated up against a prominent massif.

2006 Vieille Julienne Chateauneuf du Pape

Vielle Julienne, Rhone Valley, France

"Outrageously fine, the 2006 Chateauneuf du Pape achieved 16.5% natural alcohol. With great intensity, it is more similar to a 2001 than one normally finds in this vintage of charming, elegant, fruit-forward wines. It possesses a dense purple color along with extraordinary richness, copious quantities of cassis, kirsch, and licorice, and a meatiness to both its texture and density. This remarkably pure, full-bodied, opulent beauty exhibits good acidity as well as ripe tannin. It should last for 15-20 years" 93-95/100 R.Parker