The outstanding 1996 Gigondas Prestige des Hautes Garrigues boasts a knock-out nose of floral scents intermixed with blackberry fruit, pepper, and licorice. Subtle pain grille notes are present. The wine is medium to full-bodied, expansive, rich, and beautifully-textured, with a supple finish. It is a remarkable wine given the vintage conditions. Drink it over the next 5-7 years. Probably the leading estate in Gigondas, Yves Gras's Santa Duc continues to turn out some of the most complete, concentrated, and potentially complex wines of the southern Rhone. In the two difficult vintages of 1996 and 1997, the wines are solidly made, with the 1996 Gigondas Les Hautes Garrigues Cuvee Prestige stunning. Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083

Distinctive mocha, vanilla, plum, and toast aromas and flavors. A rustic, medium-bodied red, with grip and a chewy finish. Drink now through 2002. 1,165 cases made.??–PM??Region: France / Southern Rh?ne / Gigondas Select to Add