Domaine Sainte-Anne Cotes du Rhone, 2001

Although labeled as a Cotes du Rhone, this wine has the qualities of a Cotes du Rhone Villages--and a very fine Villages at that.

Medium deep ruby. The fruit has faded just enough to marry with the secondary characteristics--berries, plums, spice, dried flowers and herbs. There are some wild berry notes on the palate but they blend in nicely with the secondary traits of leather, lavender and earth. When this wine was young, it was predominantly Grenache. Now the Grenache and Syrah have married nicely--both red and black fruits. At a calm, even-tempered stage of maturity.