Still maturing in a mix of foudres and wooden cuves at the time of my visit, the 2020 Cotes du Rhone Le Bouquet des Garrigues—a blend of 70% Grenache, 20% Syrah and the rest Cinsault, Counoise and Mourvèdre—boasts vibrant aromas of lavender and ripe red raspberries. Medium to full-bodied, smooth, silky and complex, it's a beauty that should retail for less than $30.

Perhaps showing less garrigue-laced nuance than the 2020, the 2019 Cotes du Rhone Le Bouquet des Garrigues is still excellent, offering rich, ripe, blackberry fruit. Full-bodied, forward and opulent, it's long and velvety on the finish.

The 2012 C?tes du Rh?ne Bouquet des Garrigues tastes like a mini Chateuneuf with its big minerality, darker fruits and crushed flowers, full-bodied richness and superb texture. It’s a knockout C?tes du Rh?ne that should represent a superb value. Buy it by the case and drink bottles over the coming 5-7 years.

Along the same lines, and showing surprising depth and richness in the vintage, the 2011 Cotes du Rhone Bouquet des Garrigues offers loads of spice, kirsch liqueur, hints of leather, and crushed flowers on the nose. Medium-bodied, elegant and textured, yet also with sweet tannin, it should be consumed over the coming 4-5 years. Drink now-2019. Located in the northeastern part of Chateauneuf du Pape, and covering 22 acres in the appellation and 110 acres in Cotes du Rhone (most of which are situated around the estate and bordering Chateauneuf du Pape), this benchmark estate is run by Sylvie Vacheron, with Bruno Gaspard assisted by Aude Perch and oenologist Philippe Cambie making the wines. The winemaking here is mostly traditional, yet spans the spectrum with some of their top wines seeing time in some new barrels. While the wines emphasize fruit and texture, they never lose their Southern Rhone souls and age beautifully. The vineyards have been farmed biodynamically since 2003, and the estate was certified Organic in 2010. This is an absolutely stunning set of wines by this team. Moving to the reds, both 2011 and 2012 are very strong here, with the 2011s easily being some of the finest wines in the vintage. Looking at the Chateauneuf du Pape Les Quartz cuvee, which, like the Cotes du Rhone Les Quartz, comes mostly from the rolled pebble soils the region is known for. It is normally a blend of 85% foudre-aged Grenache and 15% barrel-aged Syrah. Compared to the Les Safres, this cuvee is normally more concentrated and structured, with big fruit and an exuberant personality. The most modern-styled of the lineup and coming all from sandy soils (Pignan and Guigasse lieux-dits) and seeing a touch of new demi-muid, the Reserve le Clos du Caillou is always a blend of roughly 60% Grenache and 40% Mourvedre. Importers: North Berkeley Imports, Berkeley, CA; tel. (510) 848-8910; Dionysos Imports, Manassas, VA; tel. (703) 392-7073; Import Wines, Middleton, WI; tel. (608) 833-8622; and Domaine Select Wine Estates, New York, NY; tel. (212) 279-0799