1998 Gigondas

The Chateau St.-Cosme 1998 Gigondas (60% aged in tank and 40% in used barrels) offers a sweet cherry and blackberry-scented nose with notions of smoke and minerals. Fat, chewy, medium to full-bodied, and delicious, it can be enjoyed over the next decade. If readers have not yet discovered this estate, the wines from St.-Cosme are sure things, particularly in such promising vintages as 1998 and 1999. A Patrick Lesec Selection (Paris fax # 011 33 1 42 84 38 22), various American importers, including Adventures in Wine, Daly City, CA; tel. (415) 467-0130, Atlantic Importing Co., Newton, MA; tel. (617) 965-2933, Fine Vines LLC, Maywood, IL; tel. (708) 343-5901, New Castle Imports, Myrtle Beach, SC; tel. (843) 497-8625; Stacole Imports, Boca Raton, FL; tel. (561) 998-0029, and Michel-Schlumberger, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 966-9218