After being delighted to discover Jean Pierre Large’s wines with his 2006 (reviewed in issue 178) I somehow, reprehensibly, missed out on tasting either of the two subsequent vintages, but the Domaine Cheysson 2009 Chiroubles confirms the existence of major talent, not to mention the presumption of excellent terroir. Red raspberry and red currant mingle with black tea and peony in the nose, then combine vividly – right down to the tart, invigoratingly bitter crunch of their seeds – on the palate, with smoky, saline, and alkaline accents. There is a saline, exuberantly tart berry-brightness to the finish that positively exhilarates. The 2006 was still lovely 12 months ago, and I would expect this exceptional value 2009 to be worth following for 5-6 years. Importers: Alain Junguenet, Wines of France, Mountainside, NJ; tel. (908) 654-6173 and Cynthia Hurley French Wines 617-965-4251