The 2010 Coeur de Vallee is cool, inward and reticent, yet its pedigree is impossible to miss. Cassis, Chambord, blackberry jam, graphite, licorice and sweet spices are some of the notes that take shape in the glass. Firm structured tannins frame the long, authoritative finish. Once again, I find Coeur de Vallee to be the most complete of Luc Morlet’s Bordeaux-inspired reds. Anticipated maturity: 2015-2025. (Not yet released)I was quite frankly amazed by the range of wines I tasted with Luc Morlet. The wines span everything from single-variety Chardonnays, Pinots and Syrahs to Bordeaux-inspired blends. La Proportion Doree is a Semillon/Sauvignon Blanc blend with a dash of Muscadelle. Morlet’s Billet Doux is a late-harvest version of that wine, but with fruit just from Alexander Valley. Passionnement is Cabernet Sauvignon from vineyards in Oakville, while Coeur de Vallee is Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc, also from Oakville. Mon Chevalier is a Bordeaux-style blend made from vineyards in Knights Valley. Morlet Estate, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon from St. Helena, is the newest wine in the lineup.Tel. (707) 967-8690; www.morletwines.com

The 2010 Cabernet Sauvignon Coeur de Vallee is laced with freshly cut flowers, sweet red berries and mint. Weightless and crystalline, the 2010 is pure silk and finesse. The Coeur de Vallee is always the most elegant of Morlet’s Cabernets, and the 2010 plays true to type. Sweet floral notes add lift on the finish. The 2010 is gorgeous today, but it needs a few years in bottle to blossom fully. This is yet another tremendous wine from Luc and Jodie Morlet. The 2010 is 76% Cabernet Sauvignon and 24% Cabernet Franc. Anticipated maturity: 2020-2030. Luc and Jodie Morlet’s 2010s are off the charts. The 2010s have huge structure, but the fruit is so ripe and voluptuous in these wines that the perception of tannin is often imperceptible. The 2009s, on the other hand, are made from grapes that weren’t as physiologically ripe, so the tannins remain firm and in need of time in bottle to soften. As good as the Morlet range is, the most exciting wine appears to be the Morlet Estate, from a vineyard in St. Helena the Morlets purchased a few years ago. Tel. (707) 967-8690; www.morletwines.com