A different animal altogether is the l'Ame Soeur, which comes from schist-based soils. This sexy offering displays a Cote Rotie Cote Blonde character even though it is a vin de pays. The 2010 Syrah l-Ame Soeur VDP (100% Syrah) boasts a deep ruby/purple color along with silky, caramelized fruit, bacon fat, black raspberry, spring flower and currant notes. This fleshy, dense, superb Syrah should drink well for 5-7 years. Ogier's wines just keep getting better and better, so if you haven-t yet jumped on the Ogier bandwagon, it's time to do so. Michel Ogier, and more recently his son, Stephane, are the leading craftsmen in terms of wines from the steep hillsides north of the old Roman town of Vienne. These are still entitled to only a VDP designation, but current vintages are the finest he has yet produced.Importer: Robert Kacher Selections, Washington, DC; tel. (202) 832-9083