The wine merchants Ginestet launched Le Boisé, a men's fragrance meant to evoke the oak barrels used to age Bordeaux wines, in 2003. The notes are woods, spices, and vanilla.

Le Boisé starts with very strong, very spicy cedar and a faint suggestion of red wine. If you hate cedar (and many people seem to), the opening blast just might not agree with you. As it settles, the cedar calms (somewhat) and is joined by other wood notes, primarily oak and sandalwood, and it takes on a dry, smoky edge (perhaps a touch of frankincense?) that always reminds me of a fall bonfire. The spices are smooth and indistinct, and there is a subdued vanilla undertone that adds warmth but little or no sweetness.

It is somewhat dark in tone, but not at all heavy, and I don't find it particularly masculine, or at least, no more so than any other bonfire sort of fragrance. There is only the vaguest hint of anything wine-like once the top notes are gone — if you are looking for a boozy perfume, you might be happier with Ginestet's Sauvignonne or Botrytis, although they are much sweeter fragrances than Le Boisé. I much prefer Le Boisé; along with Diptyque's Essence of John Galliano, it is one of my favorite dry wood fragrances for fall.

Ginestet Le Boisé is an Eau de Toilette, and the lasting power is average. For buying information, see the listing for Ginestet under Perfume Houses.