2009 St Drezery Cante Lebre

Getting a big "Wow" in my notes and one of the most southern Rhone-like in the lineup, the 2009 Coteaux du Languedoc Saint Drezery Cante Lebre is a spectacular blend of mostly Grenache (aged in tank), with smaller components of Syrah and Mourvedre that were aged all in new oak barrels (of which the wine shows no trace). In addition, this cuvee wasn't made in 2011, with the bulk of the juice going into the Tete de Belier bottling. Gorgeous all around, with ample blackberry, kirsch, spice box, garrigue and melted licorice notes, it flows onto the palate with a full-bodied, decadent and hedonistically styled profile that never puts a foot wrong. Staying lively, fresh and balanced (which is remarkable for a wine of this size), it is a joy to drink and absolutely hard to resist. Count me a fan. It should continue to thrill over the coming 5-8 years. One of the highlight tastings of my more than two weeks spent in the Languedoc and Roussillon, Chateau Puech-Haut covers a whopping 170 hectares (100 of which are under vine) that are located outside the village of Saint-Drezery, roughly 10 miles north of Montpellier. Created in 2000 by Gerard Bru, who sold his business and created the estate, Puech-Haut has employed the likes of Michel Rolland, Claude Gros, and now Philippe Cambie, to aid in the winemaking. Despite the change in consultants, the style here has remained relatively constant, with the older vintages showing the same hedonistic, yet fresh and lively profiles that are found in the current releases. The on-site cellar master is Mathieu Ciampi. To my palate, this estate is at the top of its game and the wines go from strength to strength, what showing can be achieved with low yields and a focus on making the best wine possible. In addition to incredible quality, the entire lineup stacked with value. Unfortunately, the upper-tier efforts are made in small quantities and don-t see much distribution. In addition to the current releases, I was able to take a look back at some older vintages to see how these hold up. I'm more than happy with the showings and it reaffirms my belief that these, rich, concentrated efforts have no problem evolving gracefully for a number of years. Get them if you can! Importer: European Cellars, Eric Solomon, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565; www.europeancellars.com