Château de Fonsalette 2003 75cl

Alluring dark plum, cocoa, tobacco, lavender and mineral notes run through this focused red, with tightly grained tannins carrying the rich finish. There's another blast of fruit and game at the very end, thanks to ripe acidity. Drink now through 2015. 250 cases made. ?JM

The 2003 Fonsalette Cotes du Rhone is soft with plenty of kirsch liqueur and raspberry notes in a sweet, broad, savory style. The aromas and attack suggest immediate drinkability but then some moderately hard tannin kicks in in the finish. This wine is full-bodied, impressively concentrated, but needs 2-3 years of cellaring, and should keep 12-15 years.