The Cote Rotie Bassenon, which incorporated 10% Viognier and spent 18 months in 50% new oak, offers a perfumed, pure and lively feel, with notions of flowers, violets, plum and blackberry-styled fruit. Medium to full-bodied, with fine tannin that emerges on the finish, it-s a promising barrel sample. I suspect it will benefit from short term cellaring and have 12-15 years of longevity. Yves releases two cuvees from Cornas, and I found the quality consistent in 2012, yet preferred the Vires release by a fair margin in 2011. There are three Saint Joseph cuvees in red: the Les Pierres Seches, which comes from sand and granite soils around the town of Chavanay; the L'Amarybelle, which comes from high density, terraced plantings of older vines; and lastly, the Les Serines, which comes from the oldest vines of the estate and is the only cuvee to see new oak. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant Ltd., Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

The 2011 Cote Rotie Bassenon is a major success in the vintage. Classy and perfumed, with the hallmark Cote Rotie bouquet of juicy berry fruit, spring flowers, bacon fat and hints of leather, this medium to full-bodied, supple, pure and finesse-oriented effort can be consumed anytime over the coming decade. Yves releases two cuvees from Cornas, and I found the quality consistent in 2012, yet preferred the Vires release by a fair margin in 2011. There are three Saint Joseph cuvees in red: the Les Pierres Seches, which comes from sand and granite soils around the town of Chavanay; the L'Amarybelle, which comes from high density, terraced plantings of older vines; and lastly, the Les Serines, which comes from the oldest vines of the estate and is the only cuvee to see new oak. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant Ltd., Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

The 2005 Cote Rotie Coteau de Bassenon is a medium ruby-colored wine with notes of roasted herbs, white chocolate, smoke, and some of the raspberry and cherry notes that Cote Rotie provides. You certainly can’t find much bacon fat in Cuilleron’s Cote Rotie, but the tannins are noticeable. This medium-bodied wine is very good, but hardly inspiring. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant Ltd., Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

From the southern sector of the appellation, adjacent to Condrieu, the 2003 Cote Rotie Bassenon reveals abundant acidity (no doubt much of it added) along with scents of herbes de Provence, black olives, sweet and sour red cherries, and blackberries. A disjointed effort with both terrific ripeness and tart acids, frankly, I do not know in which direction it will go. If the fruit falls away it will leave only an acidic, tannic shell. Importer: Rosenthal Wine Merchant Ltd., Pine Plains, NY; tel. (800) 910-1990

A very young wine, with great ripe red fruit flavors, from this single parcel wine. At this stage, when it is all fruit, the tannins, the acidity and the wood flavors are submerged. But it’s going to be a fine, serious, long-lived wine.——R.V.(2/1/2005)—— 92