Domaine Sainte Anne Cotes du Rhone, 2001

This wine evolved quite a bit over 24 hours--all for the better. On first popping the cork, I smelled the classic Sainte-Anne traits: blueberries, flowers, slightly tonic uplift. Flavors were very fruit oriented, slightly tannic on the mid-palate with a ripe finish. An hour later, transformations were already taking place: strawberries rather than blueberries with some spicy tones. Deeper scents and flavors. On the second night, the transformation was complete: fresh and dried strawberries, deep and compact. The youthful exuberance has been replaced by a mature austerity. More like the 2004 than the 2005. I'm beginning to think of Cairanne or even Chateauneuf du Pape.