We’ve had the opportunity to taste the last three vintages of Coudoulet de Beaucastel in the last few weeks, although not at the same tasting. Here are our impressions, in the order that the wines were consumed.

1997 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône, $12.99, 12.5% alc.: We got an email from a friend not long ago, telling us that he had a line on this wine at a ridiculously cheap price, and wondering if we might want any. It seems that a regional distributor was dumping 25 cases to make room for the ’98 vintage, and it would be available through the retail outlet of a mutual friend for the price listed above. We took a case, thank you very much!

Dark garnet; big deep plum/prune bouquet, with hints of garrigue/coffee/ leather/smoke lurking in the background, waiting to emerge and develop with age; flavors echo, with good intensity and surprisingly rich fruit for its youth. Opens dramatically with air; nice finish; needs a few years to tone down the tannins. What a steal at this price!

1998 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône, $18.99, 12.5% alc.: Dark garnet; even richer bouquet than the ’97, with plum/prune/ chocolate/spice flavors and aromas; significant tannins can’t hide the big fruit; little hints of garrigue/leather/smoke peek out from behind. Needs time; give it 3-5 years to see how it’s coming along. Price is pushing it a little.

1996 Coudoulet de Beaucastel Côtes du Rhône, $22, 12.5% alc.: Dark garnet; reticent nose of dark plum; a bit more exuberant on the palate, with a little bitter chocolate/ blackberry. Opens nicely, gaining more chocolate; not an over-long finish; a nice CdR that should improve for a few years, but not worth the price tag.

1994 Domaine du Vieux Chene Côtes du Rhône Villages, $9.99, 13.5% alc.: Dark garnet; big plum/prune nose with undertones of underbrush/leather that follow through on the palate with the concentration of a Vacqueyras or Gigondas; some significant tannins that are drying on the finish. The hard fruit only opens after three hours and more; not that complex, but still, a nice glass of wine at this price; should improve for a few more years.

1996 Domaine du Vieux Chene Côtes du Rhône Villages, $9.99, 13.5% alc.: Dark garnet; big dark plum/blackberry flavors and aromas; some rough strawberry/Grenache notes and hints of smoke come out with air; in your face, nothing refined about this strapping brute. A little clunky at this point; not too complex; good intensity, decent acidity and at least a few years worth of tannins. Not great, not bad.

1997 Domaine du Vieux Chene Côtes du Rhône Cuvee de la Haie aux Grives, $9.99, 13.5% alc.: Ruby dark garnet; pretty perfume of strawberry/black cherry/earth/ Grenache; flavors echo with a smooth mouthfeel on a medium full bodied frame; not too tannic, with good acidity; a pretty smoky note comes out with air. One of the three best wines from this producer that we’ve had, along with the ’94 and the’96 models of the same bottling.

1997 Domaine du Vieux Chene Côtes du Rhône Cuvee des Capucines, $9.99, 13.5% alc.: Dark garnet; pleasant plum/black cherry/strawberry flavors and aromas, with hints of earth and mineral; not too tannic, with decent acidity. Seems to be predominantly Grenache; nice wine, but nothing special.

1998 Domaine "La Garrigue" Côtes du Rhône Cuvee Romaine, $9.99, 13.5% alc.: Dark garnet; black cherry/black currant bouquet with hints of garrigue/leather/ licorice/shoe polish; deep, dark flavors echo; a note of dark chocolate emerges with air. Plenty of acidity; considerable tannins turn the finish somewhat bitter. Plenty of big fruit to shine here, once the tannins tone down in a few years.

1999 Cuvee Selectionee par Kermit Lynch Côtes du Rhône, $11.99, 13% alc.: We ran into this in a local grocery store; it had a WLDG shelf talker underneath, so we know it HAD to be good, and it is. Ruby dark garnet; dark plum/black currant flavors and aromas, with hints of chocolate and iodine. Young, tight and hard on the palate, but opens nicely with a few hours of air; a smooth texture and a solid core of fruit promises good things to come in a year or two.

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