Roc de Cambes 2006

Very dark brownish crimson. Extraordinarily rich and ripe and spicily exotic. Sweet and almost brûlée - quite extraordinary! Could probably drink quite young - so eager is this wine to be liked - but much further along the ripeness spectrum than most 2006s.

Dullish red color. Liqueur-like raspberry, coffee, licorice, herbs and exotic woodsmoke on the nose. Supple and sweet, with a slightly intrusive pepper-and-herb quality that's not yet in harmony with the wine's slightly exotic character. Finishes with substantial dusty tannins that spread out to coat the palate.

Full ruby-red. Sexy aromas of black raspberry and licorice. Sweet, ripe and fairly deep, with good energy to the flavors of black fruits, licorice and spices. Finishes with very good breadth, life and length. An impressive showing for this Cotes de Bourg wine.

François Mitjaville has hit the jackpot not once but twice, Tertre Roteboeuf is stunning and so is Roc. The nose is packed with sweet fruit, cherry and raspberry with bramble in the background. The palate has generosity but is given elegance by a vein of mineral freshness.