Darker and a touch more stewy than the winery’s less pricey old-vines effort. Airing loosens it up, but throughout it’s a big, stewy wine with extracted blackberry and coffee cake flavors. The finish is equally on the rich side, with swirling toffee and coffee afternotes. It’s a big wine with heft but also some chunkiness.
— M.S.
(2/1/2008)
Anyone who favors sweet, extracted, rich bruisers should snap this up. It’s thick and chewy, with caramel and chocolate jazzing up deep plum and boysenberry fruit. You might think that this baby was spiked; it has kirsch and brandied fruit at its core. Fans of more traditional styles, however, should probably steer clear.
— M.S.
(3/1/2004)