La Vielle Ferme Cotes du Ventoux, 2006

After chewing my way through the tannic leftovers of Altos de Luzon on the second night, this old favorite was a welcome relief. The smells and flavors of red raspberries and crushed black pepper are friendlier and more forward than ever. This is a typical and straightforward Ventoux, yet still subtle enough to maintain a serious interest. And it's one of the least expensive wines on the shelf. This 2006 is burnished and smooth as it slides down. It seems to be showing substantially more age than its 2005 and 2007 siblings but still drinking well. La Vieille Ferme is a wine to drink young, but don't worry if you have a few left over from year to year to remind you of past glories.