Romero’s 2001 Rasteau Cuvee Confiance (14.5% natural alcohol) is a tightly-knit, heady, rich, medium to full-bodied, deep purple-colored offering with a gorgeous bouquet of creosote, creme de cassis, and black currants. Displaying loads of intensity as well as power, it needs 1-3 years of cellaring, and should keep for 10-12 years. It is a blend of 80% Grenache and 20% Syrah and Mourvedre, all from 50-year old vines, and aged in both tank and small barrels. Produced only in top vintages, the Rasteau Fleur de Confiance is one of those fabulous southern Rhone wines that still has not caught on with connoisseurs. Made from 100% Grenache with microscopic yields of 10-15 hectoliters per hectare, and aged in a combination of small barrels and tank, it is usually a blockbuster effort as well as one of the richest made in the southern Rhone. It’s also among the most powerful and tannic, and can age for 15-20 years. Well worth a visit, Domaine La Soumade has moved into new, stylish cellars on a lower ridge below the old town of Rasteau. In 2002, the famed Bordeaux winemaking guru, Stephane Derenoncourt, was brought in as a consultant. Great news, although it’s hard to believe Andre Romero can improve on what he’s doing. Readers should not forget that this is one cellar where the 2002s were among the finest wines I tasted. While there will be no Fleur de Confiance, the Cuvee Confiance is one of the few 2002 southern Rhones that might merit a score in the upper eighties after bottling - a major achievement. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565