Domaine Sainte-Anne Cotes du Rhone Villages Saint-Gervais, 2000

Of all the Sainte-Anne wines, this is by far my favorite. More than half of the grapes each year come from Mourvedre vines, many of which were planted in the 1960s. The rest of the cuvee is split, about 50/50, from equally old Grenache and Syrah vines. All of the Sainte-
Anne CDR wines can age 10 or more years, even the simple Cotes du Rhone, but the high level of Mourvedre makes the Saint Gervais particularly ageworthy. At 20 years of age, this Saint-Gervais is drinking better than it has at any time over the past decade.

Medium deep red, just beginning to show some bricking around the edges. Mourvedre cherry and spice showing clearly on the nose. But, really, this is a fully developed bouquet with scents blended seamlessly. Beautiful. Rich fruit on the mid-palate. Creamy texture that just keeps getting smoother. Pleasing cherry tartness on the finish. This wine may have quit growing, but it still has plenty of life ahead.