From a very difficult vintage, the 2008 Syrah La Rosine is a surprisingly solid effort displaying notes of herbs, pepper, roasted meats, red currants and cherries. It is best consumed over the next several years. One of France’s most brilliant small artisanal wineries is that of the Ogier family in Ampuis, situated about six blocks north of Guigal’s vast network of underground cellars. The value picks are the wines made from the steep hillsides north of the old Roman settlement of Vienne.Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083