You can’t see through this wine’s impressively black body, which extends almost all the way to its bright magenta rim. The nose is flamboyant in notes of sweet spice, black cherry, black plum and vanilla extract. The wine feels a bit thick on the palate in fact, it’s almost chewy. The tannins are only moderately firm, but the body is full. The finish lingers, tasting of licorice, boysenberry, cassis and fresh black fig. It’s a modern-styled wine seemingly trying to escape its lurking, Old World minerality. Drink now–2017.

— Published (2/19/2015)