Domaine Sainte-Anne Cotes du Rhone Villages, 2001

I originally bought a case of this wine, but still have a few bottles left. It has always given more than its share of enjoyment, but when I opened a bottle several weeks ago, I was quite disappointed in the smells and flavors. Thinking it was corked, I opened another bottle. Whoo--same bad smells and flavors. It's pretty unlikely that two consecutive bottles of the same wine could be corked, but the wine is 15 years old, after all. Must be over the hill.

I never completely give up on any wine, though, and when I opened another bottle tonight--WOW! Classic Sainte-Anne. Deep ruby color. A basket of cherries and berries with floral/spice background. Vanilla that I know does not come from oak aging. (This wine is aged only in stainless steel and concrete.) Good mid-palate fruit and a long, enjoyable finish. Luckily, I still have another bottle or two in the cellar.

With the exception of those two bad bottles, my experience with Domaine Sainte-Anne remains 100% positive. I have had CDR and CDR Villages ranging from 1998 to 2007--all vibrant and fresh. Let's hear it for stainless steel and concrete.