The 2001 Muscat de Rivesaltes is a superb fruit bomb revealing candied tropical fruits offered in a full-bodied, pure, fresh style that makes a mockery of many of the oxidized wines emerging from this appellation. Importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900

The 1997 Muscat de Rivesaltes is a sweet, reasonably priced wine. This exotic, tropical fruit-scented wine offers copious quantities of tangerine and orange-like fruit, great body, and a flamboyant, rich, moderately sweet finish. Although it will not make "old bones," it should offer decadently rich drinking for several years. Importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900

The 1996 Muscat de Rivesaltes offers the essence of orange/tangerine-like flavors, with citrusy acidity, full body, and great purity and ripeness. This fruit bomb is best drunk over the next 2-4 years.

Chapoutier also has a few new offerings to tease readers' palates. In 1995, for the first time he has produced a Muscat de Rivesaltes from the Languedoc-Roussillon. It is a light gold-colored wine, with a honeyed, coconut, sweet apricot, nut-scented nose, full-bodied, dense, concentrated flavors, sweet richness, and a long, unctuous finish with surprisingly good acidity. It should drink well for 3-4 years. This wine was tasted between June 1 and June 16, 1996.Importer: Paterno Imports, Chicago, IL; tel. (312) 247-7070