As I have said before, Phelps' Rhone Ranger portfolio of Vin de Mistral offerings continues to get better and better. My favorite may be the blended proprietary Rhone Ranger wine called Le Mistral. The blend of this wine changes each year, but generally the largest component is Grenache, followed by Mourvedre and Syrah, and small portions of such diverse grapes as Petite Sirah, Carignan, and Alicante. The 1995 Le Mistral exhibits a deep opaque purple color, a wonderfully expressive, sweet, peppery, raspberry-scented nose, full body, sweet tannin, and excellent layered richness and length. The wine is already accessible, but promises to be even better with 2-3 years of cellaring. It should keep for a decade or more. Le Mistral is Joseph Phelps' answer to Bonny Doon's Le Cigare Volant, but is, in my opinion, slightly superior. Tel. (707) 963-2745; Fax (707) 963-4831