Vacqueyras, Domaine Le Clos de Caveau, 2003

Brilliant bright ruby with an enticing nose of currents and raspberry with a touch of bitter tar. This has to be one of the more balanced 2003 Rhone wines I’ve run across. Brilliantly clean and fresh on the palate, it has more than enough power to stand up to roasts and chops, while still being lively and balanced. A great bargain at $16.