The dense purple-colored 1995 Cote Rotie Cote Blonde boasts an awesome, mind-boggling nose of violets, cassis, blueberries, and vanillin. Sumptuous and rich on the palate despite crisp acidity, this is a wine of exceptional intensity, a multi-layered personality, and fabulous persistence and delineation. It is a tour de force for Cote Rotie. Unfortunately, quantities are extremely limited as the yields of just over one ton of fruit per acre were well below normal. Importer: Kermit Lynch Wine Merchant, Berkeley, CA; tel (510) 524-1524

From a vintage that produced classic, structured and focused reds, the 1995 C?te R?tie C?te Blonde came from miniscule yields of 18 hectoliters and offers a gorgeous bouquet of sweet dark fruits, tobacco leaf, olive tapenade and mint. About as classic an expression of this incredible terroir as you’re likely to find, it has full-bodied richness, superb concentration, and a seamless, silky texture. It’s drinking brilliantly today, and can be consumed anytime over the coming decade.