Paul Jaboulet Domaine de Thalabert Crozes-Hermitage, 1983

Paul Jaboulet's Domaine Thalabert was my favorite wine of the 1980s, and I have thoroughly enjoyed nearly every vintage. I don't remember having the 1987 (a weak vintage), and the 1989 which I reported on earlier this Fall is so far a distinct disappointment. The 1983, however, is my favorite, and it seems to be getting better with every year that passes.

Deep ruby with some bricking but not as brown as the 1979 Sociando Mallet that accompanied it on the table. While everyone enjoyed both wines, nearly all preferred the Thalabert for its "big flavors." The bouquet is high toned with the best herbaceous qualities of northern Rhone Syrah--elegant and fine. I also smell red fruit, cassis and a hint of iodine. There is a great deal of complexity on both the nose and palate. And the fruit concentration on the mid-palate--wow! It's like a young wine in many respects with flavors that just keep coming at you. The flavors linger for 10 seconds or longer.

Robert Parker has damned this 1983 Thalabert with faint praise, and I must say that I disagree strongly. He gave a higher rating to the 1989, and I disagree even more strongly. Parker has always raved about the 1990, the best Thalabert ever made, in his opinion. I must admit that I've yet to try it (not counting early tastings) although I do own several bottles and plan to open one soon. If the wines from the 1980s are any indication, there should be nothing lost in waiting for the 1990 to develop its true charms...as the 1983 is doing.

Chateau Sociando Mallet Haut Medoc, 1979

Visit any of the top restaurants in France, and you're likely to see a vintage or more of Sociando Mallet. It's widely recognized as a Cru Bourgeois that consistently produces wines comparable to those of far more expensive classed growths. This 1979 is testament to the wine's ageworthiness.

The color is very deep but with definite browning. The bouquet is also mature but not at all attenuated. I get deep scents of fragrant herbs, tart cherries, currants and Asian spices--has the exotic fragrance of a wine from the Margaux commune. On the palate, the varietal traits of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot have merged into minty and herbaceous old wine flavors but with all the strength and concentration you'd expect from a first or second growth. Very smooth with no hard edges and a more than decent finish.

The tag on this 1979 reads $8.95 because it was purchased nearly 30 years ago. A bottle of the current vintage will set you back at least $45, and the 1979, when you can find it, sells for $50. If well stored, it's worth the price.

Pierre-Bis Clos du Coulaine Savennieres, 2000

Savennieres, the dry white Chenin Blanc of the Loire, is not a wine to everyone's liking. And that's good because it leaves more of it for those of us who love this wine. And the price is usually embarrassingly low for a wine of this quality. Domaine du Coulaine's 4.5 hectares of Chenin Blanc vines are planted on silty-sandy soils over sandstone and schist deposits. The vines are old, yields are low and the wines are recognized by locals and experts as some of these best of the appellation. Yet I paid less than $12 earlier this decade for this bottle, and the current vintage is probably not much more expensive.

The 2000 Clos du Coulaine Savennieres is drinking quite well right now, although I'm sure it will continue to improve for at least another decade. It's a medium deep gold in color, and it's developed some beautiful Chenin Blanc scents--peaches, pears, honey and probably some botrytis. Very fragrant but not at all over the top. On the palate there is an essential sweetness--honey and ripe pears--but the wine is also notably dry with notes of straw and Savennieres minerals. It has a firm, broad-shouldered body--a white wine for red wine lovers, big and powerful but by no means fat. It's a wine of place, everything a Savennieres should be. And it's got me dreaming about the 1985, 1981 and 1990 Savennieres of Domaine des Baumards that I've had before and will have again. Drink it now or wait? With Savennieres that is always the question. And there is no satisfactory answer.

Bourgogne Leroy Rouge, 1990

Madame Lalou Bize-Leroy, owner of the Domaine de la Romanee Conti, is the producer of arguably the very best (and most expensive) Burgundy wines. As French wine critic Michael Bettane put it, "Domaine Leroy is a welcome reminder of the difference between the very good and the great." This simple Bourgogne is the least prestigious of the estate's wines, and I was fortunate enough to get this 1990 on futures for about $150/case. You'll pay $90 a bottle for this 1990 (if you can find one) today, and even the current vintage sells for about $40.

The color shows good saturation, with some amber tones, and there is plenty of sediment as Mme Leroy predicts on the label, since the wine has not been filtered. I get some tanky scents when the wine is first opened, but they give way to wild cherries, cranberries and flowers. On the palate, the cherries are dominant. There is none of the earthiness that I usually find in Pinot Noir. The terroir for this wine has resulted in more fresh fruit plus savory tones of iodine, herbs and mushroom. The after taste is very long and satisfying.

Jean Descombes Morgon, 2002

There is a tendency among wine snobs to dismiss Beaujolais and all wines made from Gamay as simple and unworthy of aging. There are, in fact, many ageworthy Gamay wines (mostly Beaujolais Cru), and I challenge anyone who thinks otherwise to try the Morgon of Jean Descombes at eight-plus years of age. A gorgeous full-fruited, red cherry wine when young, it takes on special nuances, similar to those of Pinot Noir, when given some time in the cellar. I've bought Jean Descombes Morgon nearly every year since the 1991 vintage, and I sample them all from time to time to see how they are developing. My favorites at the moment are 1995, 2004 and 2005. The 2002 has been disappointing until now, but this bottle seems to indicate that it may be a late bloomer, just now coming into its own.

The color is a brilliant ruby, and the bouquet is best described as pretty rather than powerful. The bouquet opens slowly to reveal dark cherries, pomegranates and violets. Flavors are ripe and plump on the mid-palate with concentration and depth that become more apparent with every sip. The after-taste, though, is what makes this wine special. It just keeps on coming at you several seconds after you swallow.

Domaine de Font-Sane Cotes du Ventoux, 2006

This wine has the qualities I expect from a good Southern Rhone: a bright crimson color, lightening just a bit from a year ago; a nose of red and blue berries, Provencal spice and black pepper; and a full-bodied fruit cake presence on the palate. As always with Font-Sane, there are some muscular tannins lurking in the background to remind you that this is a serious wine. But in the end, there is the ripe fruit and generous personality that defines Ventoux. The label talks about the "happy combination" of Grenache and Syrah, and happy, indeed, is the marriage. It's a more powerful wine than La Vieille Ferme Ventoux but equally enjoyable as a more-than-simple every day drink.

Bodegas Olivares Altos de la Hoya Finca Hoya de Santa Ana Monastrell, 2008

I've been on the lookout for good Jumilla Monastrell, and this is the Jumilla Monastrell of my dreams. Why Jumilla Monastrell? I've tasted several very good ones recently, and they were very good values. I love Monastrell (known as Mourvedre in France), and Jumilla, in southeastern Spain, apparently provides a good climate for growing this warm-weather grape. Summer days can get hot in Jumilla but because the elevation is 1,500 feet above sea level, nights become very cool. As a result, Monastrell grapes reach a complete level of ripeness while maintaining high acidity. Luzon Verde and Casa Castillo are Monastrells from Jumilla. Castano, another excellent Monastrell, is from nearby. All are under $10. I paid $12.99 for this Altos de la Hoya, but, wow!

Some of the vines at Bodegas Olivares date back to 1872, and all are pre-Phylloxera (the root louse that destroyed nearly all of Europe's vineyards in the late 1800s). Because the fruit from these vineyards is gloriously aromatic, the winemaker carefully avoids using any new oak that might cover up the natural scents and flavors. The wine is aged in well seasoned small barrels from Burgundy in France.

The color is deep and inky. From the time the cork is popped, the scents coming from the glass are heavenly. I smell delicate, ripe red berries and flowers at first, almost like Grenache or Pinot Noir. Later, they broaden out; now, I get darker smells of blueberries, cassis, black pepper and spice. Very deep. On the palate, the wine is super friendly. No tannins to get between the tongue and those lovely fruit flavors--red and blue berries and dark peppery, spicy notes. Deep, deep fruit; lovely spicy finish.