I bought this wine on spec for $40, pretty pricey I know- but one of the pro’s gave it 95 points.  Upon opening the bottle I noticed the cork was nearly black with stain.  Pouring the wine into the glass I could already smell it.  5 minutes of letting it just sit there and I can sense plums, lavender and blackberry jam.  I have not even sniffed it yet, this is going to be a powerhouse.

I was right.  This wine has a huge nose- black fruits, cinnamon, oak, fennel.  The wine is very dark with dark legs sliding down the glass showing off it’s 14.5% alcohol.  The first sip is pretty big.  Loads of black berry, with striking tannins and a touch of heat.  I am going to let this wine sit for a few minutes.

It is a brooding beast, I may run it through an aerator as the wine seems to be stuck, not showing off it’s fruit properly and displaying too much tannic bite with a slight overdose of the wood.

I was right, it needed some air.  The tannins have smoothed, the balance is good and the fruit has shone through, all is right with the world.  Blackberry coulis dominates with spice box and cedar.  The finish is rather long, me likes.  The wine is not an everyday drinker, probably better suited to a big roast leg of lamb with all the fixings.  It rated 95 with one pro and 88 with another.  I must say it is a baffling decision, but 90 points is where I see it and that makes it a 3 star wine in my books.  It already has 6 years of bottle age but will last until 2022 in my opinion.  Salut….