Wine

Arnoux Père's "White Label" Vacqueyras "Seigneur de Lauris," a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah, sees new oak, and offers excellent structure and aging potential.

The 2008 Vino Nobile di Montepulciano shows lovely intensity in its dark fruit, grilled herbs, licorice and earthiness. This, too, is another feminine, graceful wine with gorgeous length and a polished, harmonious personality. Anticipated maturity: 2011-2015.

This wine typically starts life out as a young, tannic puppy, and although it has ripe flavors and a suppleness that can handle rich meats and cheeses, it's best to cellar it. This vintage is quite undeveloped, wrapped in tannic astringency, but with a hopeful core of fruit that should age well from 2008 on.