Wineswire.com - You've heard the canard that red wines must be allowed to breathe for at least an hour before serving if they are to fully reveal their complexity. With many perfectly drinkable reds from every region this is not true. Some wines give their all within a few minutes of opening the bottle. But another class of red wine rewards delayed gratification with a bouquet that blossoms only after it has hobnobbed for a spell with the atmosphere.

This week's wine is among the latter.

Les Piliers 2004 Syrah is made by Michel Gassier's winery at Nimes in the South of France (about $15 at wine shops and big box stores). Its appellation is Costieres de Nimes, which is part of the larger Languedoc region but borders the southern edge of the Rhone, yielding wines that as a group share in both the reserved style of the northern neighbor and the exuberance of its own region. Les Piliers leans more to the Rhone style, favoring complexity above fruit-forward feistiness.

When we first splashed this wine into our glasses we were impressed by its incredible balance of subtle dark fruit and ripe tannins. That first glass, which we sampled while Colette cooked and John kibitzed, drank like liquid silk. Then we set the bottle aside until we were ready to eat.

This second glass amazed us.

Suddenly this deep red wine exhibited high notes not evident at first. Bright accents of light cherry, black pepper, anise and cassis jumped up and demanded to be noticed. The wine was still beautifully balanced and silky with a gorgeous long finish, but the time we inadvertently left it to breathe rewarded us handsomely.

This syrah drinks beautifully by itself, perfect for sharing with someone by the fire on a chilly evening, but it also will complement roasted red meats and game, as well as dishes featuring rich sauces based in a red wine reduction, preferably one with shallots and garlic to the fore.