"Inky dark. Nose sooty, mineral, smoky. Palate has sweet fruit and firm tannins. Good concentration of flavor here. Very good fruit sweetness and ripeness of flavor, allied with fresh acidity. Very stylish wine. Long, fruity, mineral finish. Drink 2016-23."

Impressive full ruby. Black cherry and licorice on the ripe but rather high-pitched nose. The palate shows very good stuffing but a slight youthful rigidity to the fruit-driven flavors of blackberry and black cherry. Not yet displaying its personality (it's still a bit clenched today), but the wine's ripeness and sappy finish leave me optimistic that this will come with elevage. Stephen Tanzer's International Wine Cellar.-88-90 points.

Wine is due in summer - fall 2010