Inky purple in the glass, this opaque wine has thick, slow moving legs and leaves a stain on the glass (14.5% ABV).  The nose has ripe and concentrated aromas of cassis, blackberry pie, perfumed violet, vanilla and blueberry alongside baking spices.  The palate is dry with medium acidity and very fine grained tannins that grip nicely.  The rich, ripe black fruit and cassis syrup are evident as is the oak influence which is in check.  Full bodied, this wine leads me to a long finish that has some charred oak hints as well.  At 5 years old, it is drinking beautifully and will do so till 2030.  I’m pairing it with braised lamb and roasted sweet potato.  It would go nicely with a filet au poivre with gratin potatoes as well.  93 points from me for this $65 bottle makes it a 5 star wine to savor.  Salut….