Deeply colored with a boisterously ripe nose of sloe, cassis and almond paste-filled croissant, this wine oozes a vibrant sexiness. The feisty palate layers on even more complexity dried pine needles and mulch waft into the opulent layers of black fruit flavors. Crisp, refreshing acidity bolsters the wine’s almost muscular fruit quality. The tannins aren’t wallflowers but are gracefully sculpted to match the wine’s well-directed fruit maturity. Deeply flavored on the impressively long finish, this wine can easily evolve well in the half-decade to come but nonetheless shows well now. Drink now–2022

— Published (7/11/2018)