Poured straight from the bottle with no decant. Deep, opaque, purple-ruby color. The first sip was bold. Ripe black cherry and baked blueberry pie were followed with a layer of dark chocolate and a whiff of graphite. Well-integrated oak sat in the background with a warm baking-spice note. The palate was full-bodied and the tannins were grippy. This wine is young and built for the long haul. It drinks well now, but, if given a few more years, I feel it will reward the patience. Score: 95/100
by dacanales73