Densely colored with deep maroon streaking. Sweetly oaked, this wine is exuberant in its fruit offerings. Black cherry, black plum, prune and baked fig are present on the nose. These aromas are, sadly, obscured on the palate by the jaunty oak. Furthermore, the flavors are slightly candied. The extraction is mild, the alcohol is high—but within reason—and the body is only medium-plus. The finish is moderate, shaped by the moderate acidic tension with the grainy tannins. Overall, this lacks balance though there’s good fruit underneath. This is a wine for the oak hounds.

— Published (10/15/2012)