It gives up a lovely, elegant perfume (and perfume is the operative term here) reminiscent of blackberry and black currant shaded with cola, fennel powder and a certain floral element that’s hard to pin down; the blackberry and black currant are even more imposing on the palate, with the cola, fennel and flora augmented by a solid earthy anchor, but that’s not to imply that this is a “big” wine by any means. It’s medium full bodied, with excellent depth and well structured for at least five years of further development, and yet it shows a lovely, seamless balance and again, an elegance that would seem impossible to this taster for any lover of “real wine” not to take a real shine to. It’s already drinking quite well now, especially with any variety of grilled and roasted red meats, but it’ll only get better with some time in the cellar, so drink or hold. Find this wine

2003 Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Côtes du Rhône Villages Vinsobres, $16.15-19, 13.5% alc.: Dark garnet color, with over-ripe plum, berry and cherry on the nose, following through on the palate with rather un- Rhône-like character, obviously an aberration of the freak vintage. This has a definite sun-baked quality about it, but with air, some earthy undertones emerge to counter-balance the excesses here, although never quite completely. Thick and viscous, dense and concentrated; good, if unobtrusive tannins and deceptive acidity should take this at least a few years down the road, but really, this is already drinking pretty well for the deviant mutation that it is. I have to force myself to forget about where this is from, and then I rather like it; if it was from, say, Australia or even South Africa, I’d have no problem with it, but there’s something about a Vinsobres like this that just doesn’t quite sit right with me “in theory.” Almost 180 degrees difference from the ’01 Cuvée Granges Rouges noted just above, and an indication of what’s to come with the one right below. Find this wine

2003 Domaine Chaume-Arnaud Côtes du Rhône, $9.35-11, 13.5% alc: Ruby dark garnet in color, and not giving much on the nose at first; eventually, the aromatics give just a hint of what’s to follow on the palate, that being sun-baked ripe plums, currants (both more in the red spectrum than the black) and cherries shaded with earthy undertones and a note of smoke. Full bodied, with good structure and length, this isn’t exactly “typical,” whatever that might mean anymore, and shows obvious characteristics of the intensely hot vintage, but it’s a pretty good wine for all of that, showing good QPR and promise for at least a few years of further development. Not what I’m looking for in my Côtes du Rhône, but damned if I don’t like it anyway. Find this wine

2003 Domaine des Girasols Côtes du Rhône Villages Rasteau, $23.99, 14.5% alc.: We loved the '93 Domaine Des Girasols Côtes du Rhône Vieilles Vignes back in ’01, so it wasn’t much of a leap to take a chance on this one; it’s no freak vintage mutant, but rather a balanced, lovely and eminently drinkable ruby dark garnet Southern Rhône blend that delivers everything one could ask for at this price point. On the nose, it gives subtly herbaceous red berries and plums shaded with some soft leather, and there’s plenty more of the same on the palate, all over a discreet, earthy base. Savory and delicious, this isn’t exactly rustic, but neither is it in the “international style;” it’s well structured, but not so as to intrude on the pleasure of drinking one tonight. Still, it has the backbone to develop and improve for at least five years, and best of all, I know where I can get more. Tasted twice, with consistent impressions. Find this wine

Domaine Chaume-Arnaud and Domaine des Girasols imported by J et R Selections, Mount
Pleasant, MI

2004 Eric Texier Côtes du Rhône, $12.99, 11-14% alc.: Dark garnet color from rim to rim, with an effusive nose of earthy, sun-baked rich dark plums, berries, grilled meat and a little cola-rock ’n’ rye; flavors echo very nicely, with an added element of smoked stones that reminds me a little of some German stone beers that I’ve had. Full bodied, with solid concentration, serious structure and good length; the first time I tried this, it had been poured for a few other retailers that day, and was drinking quite well, indicating that it likes some air at this point. After trying two more bottles in the ensuing two months without the benefit of decanting or any other aeration, that impression is definitely reinforced, as a few years in the cellar wouldn’t hurt this at all. I’d split the difference and buy some for now, given that an hour’s worth of air is a must, and some for later, to see what develops. Either way, you’ve got a solid Côtes du Rhône that delivers excellent QPR. Find this wine

Imported by LDM Wines, Inc., New York, NY

2003 Chateau des Tours Côtes du Rhône Réserve, $21.25-25.00, 13% alc.: Ruby dark garnet in color, this almost seems cooked when first poured, but I don’t think it is; our colleague Putnam Weekley warned me that this is a bit of an aberration, and he has a point. It’s all about sunbaked sweet raisins and stewed plums, ripe and earthy, with an element of smoked stones not unlike the previous wine. Solid depth and structure here, and while it’s another oddity of the freak vintage, it offers slightly more positives than negatives. That’s not to say that I’d ante up again for this one, because I wouldn’t. No mas. Find this wine

Imported by Martines Wines Inc., Novato, CA

2004 Kermit Lynch Cuvée Côtes du Rhône, $12.99, 14% alc.: Dark garnet in color, with a reticent nose that gives little indication of what’s to follow on the palate, namely the smoky plum and currant flavors that are underscored with a note of leather; this shows good intensity, structure and length, with nice balance and richness. A solid, if unexceptional CdR, offering good QPR; it’s not exactly rustic, but it does show a more traditional than modern personality. Find this wine

Imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA

2004 Grand Veneur Côtes du Rhône Réserve, $12.99, 13.5% alc.: Dark garnet in color, with impressions of dark plums and berries on the nose that follow through on the palate with an earthy base, dusty tannins and shades of brambly underbrush; good structure and balance here, with a little more ripeness of fruit as it opens with air, but never overdone. Nothing flashy, this, just a solid Côtes du Rhône that gives good bang for the buck and does what it’s supposed to do, being a good match for a variety of grilled red meats and hearty stews. Find this wine

Imported by Kysela Père et Fils, Winchester, VA

2004 Mélodie d’ Amour Côtes du Rhône, $14.99, 13.5% alc.: Dark garnet color, with funky tar and raw petroleum on the nose, which carry over onto the palate, dominating the earthy black plums and currants that show none of the chocolate-cocoa of previous vintages; with air, the fruit emerges some and the tarry petroleum morphs into a briar-bramble character that is rather more friendly to this taster. Structured for 2-5 years of development and improvement, but already drinking pretty well with some aeration, so give it at least half an hour in a decanter if you open one soon. Find this wine

Imported by A French Paradox, Inc., Peoria, IL

2003 E. Guigal Côtes du Rhône, $14.99, 13% alc.: Dark garnet color, with a funky vegetal nose that follows through on the palate with some prune-y plum underneath; decent depth, structure and length, and definitely NOT in the “international” style, but I’m not the biggest fan of a wine that tastes and smells like overcooked broccoli, or worse, Brussels sprouts. More fruit emerges with air, but not enough to save this for me; that’s not to say that it’s not drinkable, it is, but only once. Maybe I needed to pair it with grilled gizzard of Molesworth, because I can’t for the life of me understand where the noted Wine Spectator critic got “muscular black cherry and toast flavors followed by tar, vanilla and tobacco on the finish” from this. Maybe he got the special “reviewers’ cuvée”…? Find this wine

Imported by Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Inc., Solvang, CA

There are also a few other Rhône-ish notables that need to be included here:

1997 Domaine le Sang des Cailloux Vacqueryas, $14.99, 13% alc.: Showing essentially the same characteristics as it did in April of ’04 with the bramble and briar, cola, coffee, licorice, prune and black currant flavors and aromas. What’s changed here is that the tannins are now nearly fully resolved, so that this is so smooth and seamless, it’s almost sinful. This was our last bottle, and what a true pleasure to drink; I can’t think of a better wine to celebrate the retirement of Yzerman’s #19 on January 2nd.  This wine is what Red Wings and Red Rhônes is all about. Find this wine

Imported by Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA

2002 Domaine de la Mordorée Châteauneuf du Pape La Reine des Bois, 14.5 alc.: I took no notes on this dark garnet colored CdP, because frankly, there is nothing to describe here beyond some flat, earthy black currants and plums, with very little in the way of complexity or the signature characteristics that distinguish the wines of Châteauneuf du Pape; it is, in a word, boring. The Michigan distributor gave me a sample bottle to ask my opinion as to what I thought it was really worth; it’s no secret that 2002 was a horrid vintage, but they bought their 1-case allocation in order to be eligible for the ’03, and based on what we tasted, they’ll probably have to drink what they don’t give away, because this is a dud. The wine is certainly drinkable, but so is every other wine noted on this page, and frankly, I’d opt for all but two of the Côtes du Rhônes instead of this. It’s too bad that the distributor was held hostage by the importer and forced to bring it in just to stay in line for the usually brilliant (not to mention very pricey) Châteauneuf du Pape La Reine des Bois bottlings, but that’s just how the business works sometimes. Find this wine

Imported by Kysela Père et Fils, Winchester, VA

Reporting from Day-twah,