Stony and smoky, and full of garrigue and black cherry, it is an epic wine that opens up wonderfully now.

A relatively rare beast, Serge’s blanc is a ripe, honey-infused cornucopia of fruit.

The Férigoules have honed a unique style of Vacqueyras that mixes deep, dark color with a lightness of touch, rusticity with warmth, and minerality with delicious fresh fruit.

Clairette, an unsung hero of the south, is the main grape here, undoubtedly one of many key elements to this singular wine.

Deep, dynamic Grenache feels aptly highlighted by bright and fresh Clairette. Soft and rich, yet still defined.

Leydiers at Domaine de Durban are particularly proud of their Muscat de Beaumes-de-Venise, a vin doux naturel, as they are among the last to craft it in the traditional style.

A fresh, pure entry point to the Rhône’s great reds with aromas and flavors of black cherries, stones, and a hint of black olive.

The flavors are mostly deep and dark—stones, licorice, black olive, and blackberry—but the frame is lithe.

This bears a rich bouquet of wild strawberry, flowers, garrigue, and sweet spices, culminating in a long, stony finale.

The complexity and depth of this wine is driven by the 60-80 year old Grenache vines reaching deep down into the clay and limestone soils.