A sleeper of the vintage, the knock-out 2005 Vin de Pays offers classic kirsch liqueur and licorice aromas as well as a lush, full-bodied personality. It is loaded with flavor, texture, and length. The Cotes du Rhones, which are nearly all Grenache, sell for a song (about 10 euros at the estate). They are reasonably close imitations of the great Chateau Rayas.Chateau des Tours is Emmanuel Reynaud’s (the nephew of the late Jacques Reynaud as well as the winemaker at Chateau Rayas and Fonsalette since 1997) home estate. His wines are always complex, aromatic efforts that never possess much color, but offer plush, full-bodied textures as well as plenty of personality. All of these cuvees are fairly-priced, especially the Vin de Pays and Cotes du Rhone. Both the 2006 and 2005 Vin de Pays are blends of 70% Grenache and the rest Counoise and Cinsault. There are 2,000 cases of the top cuvee, the Rayas-like Vacqueyras, a 100% Grenache cuvee made from fruit grown in pure sandy soils.Importer: Martine’s Wines, Novato, CA; tel. (415) 883-0400