Rhone Blend Wine between $25 and $50

?Bright purple. This looks like a much younger wine. Heady aromas of candied black and blue fruits, garrigue and licorice, with a smoky overtone. Rich but lively, offering vibrant cherry and boysenberry flavors that gain energy and sweetness with air. Quite showy, with excellent finishing clarity, soft tannins and lingering sweetness. Demonstrates the best attributes of this ripe vintage.?

The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape is performing even better from bottle than it did last year. Composed of 47% Grenache, 38% Syrah and 15% Mourvedre, it is surprisingly soft and evolved for La Nerthe, but that actually gives the wine additional appeal. Its dense ruby/purple hue is followed by aromas of blue and black fruits, lavender, licorice, truffles and garrigue. Full-bodied, supple textured, fleshy and succulent, it will provide enjoyment over the next 10-15 years.

Super-negociant Alain Corcia has come up with another remarkable series of single cuvée Châteauneuf-du-Papes in 2009, each named after a different member of his family, including this outstanding bottling, named after daughter Julie. Robert Parker gives it 90-92 points in The Wine Advocate, saying it "… has a more saturated ruby/purple color and a big, sweet kiss of blackberry, boysenberry, black cherry, licorice, and camphor. Full-bodied, with unctuosity and some heady alcohol, it displays impressive purity, texture, and depth and should drink well for at least a decade or more."

"The 2009 Gigondas was scheduled to be bottled soon after my visit. Composed of 60% Grenache, 25% Mourvedre and 15% Syrah aged in foudre, this dense purple-colored 2009 exhibits copious amounts of meaty richness, blueberries, black raspberries, crushed rocks and flowers. Opulent and dense, it is one of the finest examples of Gigondas Guigal has yet produced. I liked it almost as much as their terrific 2007.

The dark crimson 2010 Clos de Sixte is a classic Chateauneuf-du-Pape-type blend of 50% Grenache, 35% Syrah, and 15% Mourvèdre, aged for 14 months in 35% new oak barrels. Opens with a warm, ripe, perfumed bouquet of black cherry fruit and wild violets. On the palate, luminously fluid and supple, with bouncy, spicy blackberry and dark fruit notes seasoned by spice. Marvelously detailed finish of subtle minerality and warm, well resolved tannins. A super wine for the money.