The 2005 Cote Rotie Cote Blonde is pure sex, with about 3% Viognier in the blend. The wine has a dark ruby color to the rim and an extraordinary nose of exotic tropical fruits intermixed with kirsch, blackberry, licorice, and pepper. The wine is incredibly seductive aromatically, but then in the mouth, the full-bodied power and tannins of the vintage come through. It reminds me stylistically of a 1983, but better balanced. This is a beauty that will probably need several years of bottle age, and should drink well for another 15 or more years. Importer: Manny Berk, The Rare Wine Co., Sonoma, CA; tel. (707) 996-4484

Like most 2005s, Rostaing’s 2005 C?te R?tie C?te Blonde is still backwards and tight, with bright acidity giving lift to classic notes of dark fruits, iron, violets, and minerality. Much more reserved and focused than the ’06, yet with superb mid-palate depth, awesome purity of fruit and no shortage of tannin, it needs another 3-4 years in the cellar and should be very long-lived.