As there was no 2020 produced because of low yields, I was presented the 2019 Cotes du Rhone La Reserve Blanc for the second year in a row. My palate must have been working well, as I gave it the identical rating as the last time I tasted it. Made from 100% Clairette Rose, it's a gently toasty, slightly honeyed wine, with notes of white peaches and melon. Full-bodied, plump, and generous, it finishes rich and velvety. If you see any bottles lingering on retailer shelves or on restaurant wine lists, don't hesitate, provided you plan to drink them over the next couple of years.

A barrel-aged blend of 85% Clairette (the rose version) and 15% Grenache Blanc, the 2018 Cotes du Rhone La Reserve Blanc is a bit brassy in hue, but still looks to have another year or two of primetime drinking ahead of it. Medium to full-bodied, with a bit of oily richness and a silky feel on the palate, it offers hints of honeyed stone fruit, pineapple and lime, backed by just enough pithy bitterness and crushed stone notes to keep it lively.