The 2007 Corbieres Tradition – a tank-raised blend of Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Mourvedre – smells of ripe, herb-tinged cherries, which then fill the smoothly-textured palate along with nutmeg bitter dark chocolate, and a strong and invigorating sense of their pits. With a delightful saline savor, this is the brightest, freshest, purest-fruited, longest-finishing rendition of this cuvee I can recall, a tribute to both the family’s dedication and to the vintage’s virtues. Enjoy it over the next couple of years. This represents the finest group of wines I have tasted from the Gualco family, and my experience with their wines goes back more than 20 vintages.Christopher Cannan Europvin Selections (various importers), Bordeaux; fax 001-33-5 57-87-43-22

The Gualco family’s 2006 Corbieres Tradition – a tank-raised blend of Grenache, Carignan, Syrah and Mourvedre – smells of ripe red raspberries, marjoram, and sage. With less gamey or meaty character than is often present in this cuvee, it offers generous fruit, mild tannins, and a smoky, peat-tinged finish. Christopher Cannan Europvin Selections (various importers), Bordeaux; fax 001-33-5 57-87-43-22.

I have been following the wines of this estate in Corbieres for a number of years and continue to find the winemaking to be of very high quality. This large domaine consists of 197 acres, from which an entire range of white, red, and rose wines is produced, as well as small quantities of Fitou. For me, the best two wines are consistently the Corbieres-Cuvee Tradition (25,000 cases) and the Cuvee Bicentenaire (6,000 cases produced annually). Both wines are made from 40% Grenache, 35% Carignan, 13% Mourvedre, and 12% Syrah. The Cuvee Bicentenaire benefits from additional aging in new oak casks, as well as being a selection from the estate's older vines. Proprietor Henri Gualco has fashioned two attractive 1988s. The Corbiere-Cuvee Tradition is a fat, succulent, black-cherry, herb-scented and flavored wine with soft, fleshy flavors, a good spicy component, and a long, heady, alcoholic finish. It should be drunk over the next 2-3 years. Importer: a Christopher Cannan Selection - various importers.