2009 Côte-Rôtie La Mouline Côte-Blonde Guigal

Just as good, but made in a completely different style, the 2009 Cote Rotie la Mouline (which incorporates a whopping 11% of Viognier) offers an insane bouquet of roasted meats, toast, spice, caramelized meats, coffee bean and deep, concentrated and layered blackberry and cassis-styled fruit. As with the 2010, it has off-the-chart richness, a stacked mid-palate and a gorgeous polish to its tannin. Give it another 3 to 4 years and drink it over the following 2-3 decades.

Dense and grippy now, with roasted alder, bittersweet ganache and freshly roasted espresso notes leading the way, though there's a very dense core of crushed plum, black currant and blackberry fruit in reserve. A gorgeous charcoal stitching takes over on the finish. There's loads of muscle, but also terrific cut and drive through the finish. Best from 2015 through 2040. From France.- J.M.