This wine is a tour de force, starting with its near opaque appearance. The nose is bold in tones of dark chocolate-covered blueberry, vanilla bean custard and ripe pomegranate. Bursting with buoyant acidity on the palate, while also plump and ripe, the fruit plays second fiddle to the concerted, charred oak flavors that deliver some tannic tightness and drying grip on the moderate cocoa-powder finish. There’s plenty of structure here, so the oak may further integrate into the solid fruit core with time. Drink now–2021.

— Published (8/16/2018)