When Roussanne was first planted here in 1992, Marsanne was introduced as well, and their marriage informs a (one-third new-)barrel-fermented white 2007 Coteaux du Languedoc. Pear, lime zest and sweet, lily-like floral aromas lead to a creamy palate to which pear skin and citrus zest add welcome notes of invigoration. Oak-engendered notes of lanolin and coconut slightly intrude on the purity of fruit in the finish, though some tasters will certainly be more tolerant than I am. I would certainly plan to drink this young, and other than the expenditure of wood, it’s hard to justify its much higher ex-cellar price than the Lancyre Roussanne. Bernard Durand and Regis Valentin continue to render distinctively delicious wines that offer outstanding value of a sort not always to be found in the increasingly renowned Pic Saint-Loup sub-appellation.Imported by Hand Picked Selections, Warrenton, VA; tel. (540) 347 9400