Do not fear grand cru Muscat. It bears no resemblance to the cheap Muscats that may have blurred the intemperate nights of your youth. From the steep limestone vineyards above the village of Ribeauvillé, this Muscat is wildly aromatic and decadently fruity, but also sumptuously full, structured, and dry. The wines of Kirchberg de Ribeauvillé are known for being closed in their youth, with bracing acidity that takes time to resolve. With a few years in the bottle, and from the excellent 2015 vintage, this is just hitting its stride.

Reynald Delille’s Bandol rouge is a different animal than most, more finesse than raw power. The domaine’s vineyards obviously play a part—situated on limestone bedrock and cooled by Mediterranean breezes—as does a strict organic regimen. The wine really starts to shine after a few years in bottle, when the earthy, savory, mineral elements begin to peek through the youthful fruit. We’re seeing that with the 2015 vintage, a special library release direct from the domaine’s cellars.

A few miles west of Pomerol and just above the Dordogne River on Bordeaux’s right bank lie the vineyards of Grégoire and Bénédicte Hubau. Unlike this mostly flat part of France dominated by terroirs of clay and gravel, the Hubaus’ vines are planted along limestone  slopes. When you view them from their home (“château”) at the top of the hill, you will immediately understand that this is a site for great wine. In addition to the noteworthy terroir, the Hubaus’ Château Moulin Pey-Labrie stands out for the vibrance and freshness of the wines it produces. Imagine the small, avant-garde farmers typically found in the Loire or Beaujolais transposed onto a Bordeaux landscape, and you have the Hubau family. For decades, they have been widely regarded as pioneers of progressive farming and winemaking in this often-staid region. Grégoire and Bénédicte farm the old Merlot vines that make up this cuvée on upper-slope sites rich in limestone. This perfectly middle-aged rouge abounds with beautiful aromas of strawberries and cassis along with a certain woodsiness, and it feels deep and soulful—the way old-school Bordeaux should.