2001 with its silky cherry notes, sweet vanilla, and delicious balance along with flavors of mocha and casis; - 2003 with its notes of Prince Edward Cherry Tobacco, vanilla, and ripe fruit; - 2005 with the flavors described above along with more ripe red integrated and concentrated fruits, much more extracted too …. Perfect Berries. MORE >>

Grapes planted include Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre, and Carignan. “A French insurance company owns a Chateau?&# the woman’s voice says, incredulous. This is the exciting thing that happened to me and four other students in the Master of Wine educational program who won a scholarship based on essays we submitted. The Cellar. MORE >>

By contrast the 2005 Monte Bello which we tasted from bottle is darker, more profound; a surprisingly succulent wine at this stage, with good viscosity in the mouth and old school verve. The 2007 Lytton Estate Syrah/Grenache ** is also tight, almost light, almost too searing, with blue fruits and tons of tannin. All are superb. MORE >>

2005 Domaine Rimbert Mas au Schiste , $20, Jenny & François Selections. Syrah, and Grenache. For $14 you can get the 2007 Domaine Rimbert Travers de Marceau , a less intense and complex, but also very delicious wine that omits the Grenache and includes Cinsault and a little bit of Mourvedre. This wine ages well too. MORE >>

This California red is influenced by the style of the Southern Rhone valley with a blend of 46% Syrah, 23% Mourvedre, 17% Grenache and 14% Cinsault. Tags: Syrah Grenache Mourvedre cinsault Noticeably high in alcohol, 14.9%, and a palate of blackberry, herbs & spices, rhubarb pie and white pepper. MORE >>