Shaded by accents of autumn leaves, caramelized balsamic and nutmeg but retains a penetrating core of blackberry and black-plum flavors. Cut with shards of limestone and salt, this invigorating, peppery wine finishes long on fine, feathery tannins and a murmur of leather.

Thirty- and 40-year-old vines grown on stony clay and limestone soil in the south of France produced this marvelous blend of 85% Grenache Noir and 15% Syrah, which spent 18 months in French oak and two years in bottle. A perfume of lilac and licorice exudes from the glass. The deep and dark palate is beautifully assembled, with velvet-lined tannins, dried heather, black cherry, and winsome notes of peppered plum.

Rich and broad in feel, with a lightly roasted edge to the mix of crushed plum, blackberry and raspberry fruit. Garrugue, singed alder and warm stone notes emerge steadily through the still-grippy finish. Grenache and Syrah. Drink now through 2024.

A blend of 85% Grenache and 15% Syrah, the 2012 IGP Vaucluse Abelard is nominally the more "masculine" of the two red cuvées. In fact, this vintage, the Abelard is softer and plusher, albeit slightly less complex. Smoky elements frame ripe black cherries on the nose, while the medium to full-bodied palate is ripe and supple, giving way to a velvety feel on the finish.