This opaque, black wine has a dark cherry rim and a bold and exotic nose of dry-aged steak, Worcestershire sauce, worn leather and dried blackberry. The palate shows overt oak sweetness in its notes of vanilla extract, fire-smoked marshmallows and milk-chocolate-dipped strawberries. It is also round, medium in weight and moderately concentrated, with well-reasoned, pillow soft tannins and buoyant acidity. This drinks well now either alone or at a casual meal. Drink now through 2018.

— Published (2/29/2016)