A sleeper of the vintage, the 2010 Vin de Pays Domaine des Granges de Mirabel Blanc is 100% Viognier from basalt soils that are farmed biodynamically. It exhibits wonderful notes of wet rocks/minerals, a steely background of acidity and loads of honeysuckle, lychee nut and white peach characteristics. This beauty is best consumed over the next year. While the firm of Chapoutier is justifiably renowned for their northern Rhone wines and, increasingly, their projects in Australia, Portugal and the Languedoc-Roussillon (more on those wines later), they have some important holdings in Chateauneuf du Pape. Furthermore, they do a good job with their negociant offerings from growers who farm their vineyards biodynamically, a prerequisite for any grapes or wine purchased by Chapoutier. Two luxury cuvees are from two old vineyards, Croix de Bois which is near Bedarrides on the eastern side of the appellation, and Barbe Rac, in the western sector. The 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Croix de Bois and 2009 Chateauneuf du Pape Barbe Rac are both fabulous wines showing far better out of bottle than they did last year. Both are aged completely in cement tanks in the new Chapoutier facility just outside of Tain l’Hermitage. Chapoutier loves the minerality and acid levels that were achieved in his biodynamically farmed vineyards in 2010. He said that after seven or eight years of biodynamic viticulture, he notices the pHs going down and the total acids in the vineyards going up, a positive. The least expensive offerings in this portfolio are the Vin de Pays d’Oc cuvees. The two 2010 luxury Chateauneuf du Pape cuvees were more restrained than the opulent, voluptuously textured 2009s.Importer: Paterno Imports, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900

Another wine in a similar category is the 2006 Les Granges de Mirabel, which is from the l’Ardeche. This comes from volcanic soils and is an inexpensive Viognier that could easily pass for a Condrieu in a blind tasting. The great terroiriste and biodynamic farmer of the northern Rhone, Michel Chapoutier, continues to display impressive talent for turning out strong wines from the southern Rhone even though his undeniable strengths are his single-vineyard wines from the north.Importer: Terlato Wines International, Lake Bluff, IL; tel. (847) 604-8900