• wa90

Wine AdvocateAnother of my favorite estates in the up-and-coming Cotes du Ventoux appellation, Pesquie's inexpensive 2009 Terrasses is a custom cuvee put together by American importer Eric Solomon. Composed of 70% Grenache (from 60-year-old vines) and 30% Syrah (from 30-year-old vines), aged in neutral oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered, this 10,000-case cuvee hits every sweet spot on the palate. Tasting more like a Chateauneuf du Pape than an inexpensive Cotes du Ventoux, this dense ruby/purple-colored wine offers up scents of licorice, black cherries, raspberries, pepper, and meat juices. Medium to full-bodied with a structured, well-delineated mouthfeel, good freshness, a heady finish, and firm, but well-balanced tannins, it should drink nicely for 2-3 years.

• ws89

Wine SpectatorRipe and suave, with supple tannins that meld into the plum and boysenberry fruit, all laced with incense, black tea and pastis notes. Dark but pure on the finish. Grenache and Syrah.

• we88

Wine EnthusiastPesquié's entry-level red is a blend of 70% Grenache and 30% Syrah, aged in a combination of tank and used oak. The result boasts dark fruit notes of blackberry and plum, but also hints of savory leather and spice. It's medium bodied, with a firmness to the finish that suggests it should hold nicely for 3-4 years.