2007 is a "truly historic and profoundly great vintage" (says Robert Parker). He gives the vintage a whopping 98 rating and notes that is accessible and "early maturing".

Read what Robert Parker says about the 2007 vintage in the southern Rhone:

"Last year, after tasting the 2007 southern Rhônes, especially the top wines from Gigondas, Vacqueyras, Côtes du Rhône, and the most hallowed appellation of the south, Châteauneuf du Pape, I stated it was the vintage of a lifetime.

"I also suggested it was a hypothetical blend of a very hot yet opulent, powerful, sumptuous year such as 1990 and a cooler, drought and Mistral-affected vintage such as 2001. Tasting the 2007s out of bottle has confirmed my thoughts this is a truly historic and profoundly great vintage -- I have never tasted better Côtes du Rhônes, Gigondas, or sumptuous, rich, complex Vacqueyras than the 2007s." -Robert Parker

What makes the Hautes Cances Cotes du Rhone 2007 so special? Read on:

Jean-Marie converted his vineyards to Agriculture Biologique in 1999. They don't use pesticides, or chemical fertilizers and they do everything in a Bio fashion including hand harvesting. Very importantly, they use only natural yeasts for fermentation. This not only reflects their deep desire to protect the environment but also allows the maximum natural expression of terroir.

Get your stew pot bubbling and your corkscrew twisting. The 2007s, particularly this Hautes Cances Cotes du Rhone will make you want seconds of everything! These wines are powerful, knee-deep in black fruits and so beautifully balanced.

I don't think I know any grower who puts more effort into their wines than this familial pair from the southern Rhone. They pretty much work themselves to the bone, but the wines are fabulous! And, the prices are so amazingly reasonable.

Jean-Marie and Anne-Marie work out of a modest house in the middle of the village of Cairanne. Anne-Marie's great grandparents created the property in 1890. The land passed down through the family until it came to Anne-Marie. When she inherited the property she was already ensconced in a medical career as was her husband, Jean-Marie.

Jean-Marie decided to give up his medical career to farm the family vineyards and vinify his own wine, which at the time was being sold off in bulk to the Cairanne cooperative.

After making the Biodynamique leap from day one, Jean-Marie then built a new winemaking facility into the hillside for natural temperature control. His vinification is done using gravity to protect the grapes along their journey into the vat. The place is absolutely eat-off-the-floor pristine. Jean-Marie has a singular passion when it comes to winemaking and it shows in his wine.

This vineyards Cotes du Rhone vines average about 50 years old (very old for Cotes du Rhone where they are usually torn out after 15 or 20 years to get better yields). The vineyard is small and a very gravely special hillside plot so Jean Marie treats it like his much more expensive Cairanne wines. The soil is the magic hillside clay-limestone that drains from the top and yet harbors water deep in the earth to nourish the vines during times of drought, which are frequent in the southern Rhone. The cepage is: 34% Syrah, 19% Grenache, 19% Carignan, 15% Cinsault, 13% Mourvedre.

There is severe selection in the vineyard so only the ripest and most comely grapes make it to the vat. Jean-Marie uses a modest amount of older Gigondas barrels for aging this wine. He does not fine or filter. When you have your first sips of this wine, swirl it around in your mouth and think about its richness and its length. There really is a clear difference between this wine and most other Cotes du Rhones out there. Cynthia Hurley

To order just hit reply and let me know how many cases. Delivery will be immediate.

The Details:

Domaine les Hautes Cances Cotes du Rhone 2006
12-bottle case $191.88 ($15.99)