Another wine that's drinking beautifully today is the 2000 Cote Rotie la Landonne. An upfront, perfumed, complex and ready-to-drink beauty, it offers sexy notes of smoked meats, olive, game, truffle and graphite. These give way to a full-bodied, elegant Cote Rotie that has no hard edges, a soft, forward feel and a great finish. It doesn't have the sheer weight of density of a top year, but excels on its drinkability. It's a beautiful wine.

The 2000 Cote Rotie La Landonne is the most powerful and primordial of the 2000 La La’s, not surprising given this cuvee’s telltale earthy, leathery characteristics that are intermixed with notes of truffles, licorice, blackberries, and pepper. Medium to full-bodied, with moderate tannin and good density, it should hit its prime in 2-3 years, and last for 14-15. Importer: Fred Ek and Patrick Will, Ex Cellars Wine Agencies, Solvang, CA; tel. (805) 686-9153

Offers an amazing depth of smoky, espresso-flavored toast that is seamlessly interwoven with bittersweet Valrhona chocolate, black currant and fig fruit, and a great underlying minerality. Supersilky, with a floral finish. Equally lush and captivating on both the nose and palate--a rare feat. Drink now through 2030. 800 cases made. -JM