Another beauty is the 2011 Cotes du Rhone-Villages l’Espirt Devin. It exhibits a deep ruby color along with lots of raspberry, loamy soil, underbrush and bouquet garni characteristics. Deep and medium to full-bodied, it is, again, an overachiever in a modest vintage that is capable of competing with some of the finest Chateauneuf du Papes. Drink it over the next 2-3 years. A microscopic estate owned by Coralie Goumarre, Domaine Galevan was established, remarkably, in 1780, but the first estate-bottled wine did not emerge until 1968. I was blown away by these four red wine cuvees, and both of the 2010s have jumped dramatically in score since I tasted them from barrel last year. Coralie Goumarre has consistently made some of the better Cotes du Rhones over recent vintages. Both her 2011s represent sleepers of the vintage. Importer: Vintage Imports, Bristol, PA; tel. (215) 788-1300

The 2009 Cotes du Rhone-Villages L’Esprit de Vin has loads of sweet black cherry fruit and hints of herbs, seaweed, and spice. It is an impressively rich, supple-textured, soft and round Cotes du Rhone to drink over the next 2-3 years. The owner and winemaker of Domaine Galevan is another strong-minded and impressively talented woman, Coralie Goumarre. Her 2009s are even better than what she did in 2007. As I have written before, two of her best buys are her Cotes du Rhones. Importer: Vintage Imports, Bristol, PA; tel. (215) 788-1300

Both of Domaine Galevan’s 2007 Cotes du Rhones are tremendous sleepers of the vintage. Both are broad, deeply flavored, full-bodied efforts offering loads of black cherries, raspberries, and darker currants. Velvety-textured and voluptuous, they are about as good as Cotes du Rhones can be. Drink them over the next 2-3 years. Run by Carolie Goumarre, this tiny, garagiste-like operation in Chateauneuf du Pape was founded in the late 18th century, but only began estate bottling their wines in the late 1960s. From it minuscule 5-acres of vines, Domaine Galevan produces 420 cases of Chateauneuf. Importer: Vintage Imports, Bristol, PA; tel. (215) 788-1300

Galevan has produced a sleeper Cotes du Rhone selection, the 2005 L’Esprit du Vin. This wine has a deep ruby/purple-tinged color and plenty of sweet black cherry and raspberry fruit intermixed with some underbrush, pepper, and spice. The wine is meant to be drunk in its first 4-5 years of life but offers plenty of flavor, intensity ,and depth. Proprietor Coralie Goumarre produces the wine at this estate in the northern sector of Chateauneuf du Pape near the village of Courthezon. No known American importer.