1. From Bordeaux: 2005 Michel Rolland Episode 1 The Winemakers Collection
This is the first release of a special project of Jeremy Renard and the proprietor of Chateau d’Arsac in Margaux. Under Renard’s guidance, each year a single vineyard parcel from Chateau d’Arsac is completely controlled by a single, world-renowned winemaker. Michel Rolland launched the project, and he has been followed by other luminaries in the wine world. Rolland had the good fortune to benefit from an excellent vintage, and the result is a 5,000-case lot of sensational wine. The 2005 possesses a forward, voluptuous style, so it will have early appeal, but don’t discount its potential to last 15-20 years. It offers a dense ruby/purple hue along with a smoky perfume of sweet cherries, blackberries, roasted coffee, and a hint of tobacco leaf. There is a seamless integration of acidity, tannin, and wood in this complete, full-bodied wine. The finish lasts for 35-40 seconds. This beauty can be drunk now or cellared for 15-20 years. Rated 93 The Wine Advocate
2. From the Southern Rhone Valley: 2010 Domaine Vindemio Imagine Cotes du Ventoux – 50% Grenache/50% Syrah
An absolutely outrageous value and a great wine in its own right, the equal part blend of Syrah and Grenache, the 2010 Vindemio Imagine, is also aged completely in concrete casks, This is an amazing wine, displaying notes of meat juices, spring flowers, black raspberries, blackberries and cassis. Full-bodied, unctuously textured, rich and full, but with remarkable purity and freshness, this is a terrific effort from proprietor Jean Marot. Drink it over the next 5-7 years, although it could actually last a lot longer. Rated 95 The Wine Advocate
3. From the Beaujolais Region: 2009 Piron Chenas Quartz Beaujolais
“Reflecting a miniscule volume due to hail, the 2009 Chenas Q Domaine Piron & Lameloise (formerly labeled ‘Quartz,’ and part of a joint venture with the Lameloise family) displays a nose unusually mingling ripe blackberry and blueberry with suggestions of roasted eggplant. A saline savor I associate with many quartzite-rich sites threads its way through the wine’s richly-fruited yet finely tannin-suffused and stimulatingly bright palate. A bittersweet low tone again reminiscent of roasted eggplant adds to the wine’s saliva-inducing, palate-staining length. This Chenas – raised one-third in older barrel, but tasted assembled – should be another candidate of its vintage for 4-6 years of fascinating bottle evolution.” Rated 91-92 points The Wine Advocate
4. From the Southern Rhone Valley: 2009 M. Chapoutier Belleruche Cotes du Rhone – 60% Grenache/40% Syrah
Even better, and a real sleeper of the vintage, is the 2009 Cotes du Rhone Belleruche red. Dominated by 80% Grenache, with the rest Syrah and Mourvedre, this wine has a deep ruby/purple-tinged color to the rim, a big, spicy, peppery, kirsch-scented nose, and medium-bodied, juicy flavors, with intriguing minerality and loads of fruit and texture. This is a very serious Cotes du Rhone that should drink nicely for 3-4 years. (To Chapoutier’s credit, this is made completely from contracted biodynamically farmed vineyards, as opposed to buying fermented juice from growers.) Rated 89 The Wine Advocate
5. From the Languedoc: 2009 Cuvee De Pena Pyrenees Orientals
“The as usual Carignan-based red 2009 Cuvee de Pena is simply the finest of its illustrious bargain-priced breed that I have tasted (and I go back 20 years with this cuvee and its predecessor), which also makes it a mind-boggling value! Clean and polished, concentrated but unexaggerated, this delivers sweet fruit with soil and soul. Ripe cherry, black raspberry, and purple plum are shadowed by their distilled counterparts in a high-toned nose and practically gush on the palate. Pungent, resinous herbs, smoky black tea, toasted pecan, brown spices, and crushed stone all serve for aromatic and gustatory interest, leading to a brightly juicy yet deeply rich finish. Buy it by the case, or buy it by the bag-in-box; delight and – if you dare reveal its price – amaze your guests over at least the next couple of years, though quite possibly longer. (And we wine snobs need to stick this into some blind tastings to put quality-price rapport into perspective, and perhaps some prejudices to rest.)” Rated 90 The Wine Advocate
6. From the Southern Rhone Valley: 2010 Andezon Cotes Du Rhone Rouge
“The classic cuvee, which has long been selected by importer Eric Solomon, is their 2010 Domaine d’Andezon, a blend of 90% Syrah and 10% Grenache. While there are critics of Syrah grown in the southern Rhone, even the cynics agree that the old-vine Syrah from the Gard has a special character to it. This wine comes from 40+-year-old Syrah vines and 60+-year-old Grenache vines, bottled unfined and unfiltered after being aged in both tank and concrete. Dense ruby/purple, with a stunning nose of blackberry liqueur and jus de viande (beef/meat juices), its thrilling, intensely pure, full-bodied mouthfeel, good freshness, and striking floral character all combine for one of the very best bargains in dry red wine that readers are likely to find anywhere in the world. This is super and should continue to drink well for another 3-4 years.” Rated 91 The Wine Spectator