I loved the 2003 C?te R?tie Les Grandes Places, and rated it the same here as I did in the 2003 Northern Rh?ne retrospective last year. Harvested very late, it’s a big, rich, decadent effort that boasts smoking notes of charcuterie, chocolate-covered dark fruits, smoke and licorice. These all flow to a full-bodied, concentrated effort that stays fresh, pure and highly drinkable. It’s certainly not a classic C?te R?tie, but it’s still a great wine that dishes out tons of pleasure.