A fragrant white with aromas of honeysuckle, white rose, white peach, apricot, melon, lemon curd and apple tart. Quince, too. Full-bodied, round and soft. Fruity with a hint of nutmeg at the end. Grenache blanc, marsanne, viognier and bourboulenc. From organically grown grapes.

A medium-bodied rosé with notes of redcurrants, melon, grapefruit and bay leaves. Round and flavorful with a fresh core of berries and a herbal, succulent finish.

This well-made Cotes-du-Rhone has attractive red-fruit aromas, but also some meaty depth. Generous body and appealing roundness on the palate, the gently dry tannins giving it some backbone at the surprisingly long finish. A blend based on grenache and syrah. Drink now.

Fruity nose with cherries, raspberries, crushed strawberries and sweet spices. It’s medium-bodied with fine tannins. Juicy, fruity and playful with a lively finish.

The 2022 Luberon Les Becs Fins Rosé is terrific, with a pure, medium-bodied, textured, yet vibrant style as well as classic notes of watermelon, strawberries, and subtle floral nuances. It’s balanced and will shine on the dinner table as well as on its own.

Stacks of spice, dried Mediterranean herbs and a touch of leather on the nose. Bold, structured and lively, this is an impressive wine for the humble appellation. Long harmonious finish with good complexity. A cuvee of grenache, syrah and carignan from vines that are over 50-years-old. Drink or hold.

A wine that sees a touch of malolactic fermentation.. ..aged in concrete and demi-muids. It has ripe stone fruits, apricots, and honeyed flower notes in a medium-bodied, balanced, elegant, impressive style that's going to be versatile on the dinner table.

A meaty, bloody, iron-like character as well as medium body, plenty of ripe, darker berry fruits, good mid-palate density, and solid length on the finish. It certainly has potential and might end up being an outstanding wine.

Edged by fiery notes of charred anise and fine-grained, penetrating tannins, this powerful yet balanced red reflects an elevated expression of the wide Côtes du Rhône category. Flavors of black-plum preserves and crème de cassis are richly concentrated but vibrant, finishing on a delicate notes of smoke. It's ready now but should hold through 2026.

Moving to the smaller production cuvées, the Syrah-dominated 2019 Ventoux Quintessence reveals a deeper ruby/plum color followed by a beautiful bouquet of smoked red and black fruits, gamey herbs, spring flowers, and an almost forest floor-like character. With considerable elegance on the palate, medium to full-bodied richness, and silky yet building tannins, this is straight-up classy stuff. It will benefit from a year or three of bottle age and drink nicely for a solid decade.

A round and fruity red with plenty of cherries, wild berries, dried herbs and baking spices. Medium body with fine tannins. Velvety with a caressing texture and a flavorful, juicy finish.

Bottled earlier this year, the 2016 Costières De Nîmes Lou Coucardié checks in a blend of 50% Mourvèdre, 30% Grenache, and 20% Syrah that was 66% destemmed and aged two years in 500- and 600-liter barrels. This blockbuster beauty boasts a deep purple color as well as a smoking good bouquet of blackberries, cured meats, ground pepper, Asian spices, and flowery incense. Deep, full-bodied, and concentrated, it’s still seamless, balanced, and weightless on the palate, and shows why 2016 is such a great vintage in the southern Rhône Valley. This wine just about maxes out the value scale and can be drunk with incredible pleasure today or cellared for a decade.

More cassis, violets, flowers, and black pepper notes emerge from the 2020 Ventoux Persia, and it's more lively and elegant on the palate, with high yet integrated acidity and very fine, polished tannins. While the 2019 is a bigger, richer wine, the 2020 is more elegant and finesse-driven. It should benefit from a year in bottle and drink brilliantly through 2030.

A terrific vintage for this wine, which was bottled just a couple of weeks prior to my late June visit, the 2021 Cotes du Rhone Coudoulet de Beaucastel is a blend of 30% each Grenache, Mourvèdre and Syrah, plus 10% Cinsault. From a vineyard just outside the boundaries of the appellation of Châteauneuf-du-Pape, it's a remarkably consistent wine and always a solid value. Scents of sunbaked stones, black cherries and licorice appear on the nose, joined by hints of purple raspberries and dark chocolate, while the medium to full-bodied palate is lush and velvety, finishing long and complex.

Notes of sun-drenched black cherry and strawberry preserves are sonorous in the fruit-forward, piercing blend of 90% Grenache and 10% Syrah. It highlights all of Grenache's red-fruited delights and soft, pillowy tannins along with a twist of Syrah's peppery, brambly spice. Delightful young, it should maintain peak through 2030 at least.

Lots of rich quince and Meyer lemon notes as well as subtle spice and honeyed almonds, toast, and woodsmoke notes emerge from the 2019 Saint Joseph La Source Blanc. Medium to full-bodied, it has a round, nicely textured mouthfeel, good freshness, and a great finish. As with Chapoutier, this estate likes to keep as much CO2 in their whites as possible, so don't be afraid to give this a quick decant.

The nose of this Gigondas immediately brings back nostalgic aromas of freshly baked berry pie. On the palate, it is energetic with fresh fruits and garrigue. The wine is lovely and enjoyable now with braised meats, or on its own. Editor's Choice.