Medium opacity with a lighter shade of purple. On the nose I get some baking spices right off the bat with cherry and orange rind. The initial palate is very seductive with soft cherry notes, vibrant acidity and some secondary flavors of cinnamon and clove. The mid palate continues the red theme with the addition of cranberry and cedar shake. The finish shows off some decent acidity to go along with the fruit flavors but I don’t get much in the way of tannin. This is a tasty wine that is fairly basic in composition and offers near term enjoyment. 88 points from me with a drink till 2022 window. For $16 it garners 3 stars from me. I’m grilling Lamb sausages and whipping up some Quinoa for the pairing. Salut….

This wine is 13 years old and I just found it in my cellar. The cork did not look good and I feared for the worst.  In the glass it’s very dark, almost fully opaque but it shows nice legs.  The nose is mature- earthy, with mushrooms, forest floor, game and a hint of black cherry reduction.  On the palate this is stunning- fully developed with a boatload of tertiary flavors.  Umami, dried shiitake, garigue and stewed cherry.  This wine is at peak.  The midpalate is super smooth- rich fruitcake, secondary flavors and a lithe dose of acidity.  The tannins are fully melded and give me a great mouthfeel.  The finish is lovely if somewhat curt.  Rich fruit reduction, trace tannins and those delicious secondary players we hope for after extended cellaring.  20 plus seconds. I love this wine and am stoked it turned out so nicely.  Drink till 2022.  93 points.  I paid under $20 back into the day, I doubt you can find any of this 5 star wine these days.  Salut….

Very pale shade of red and completely see through- expected for Pinot.  The nose is really bright with strawberry, rhubarb and red currants.  The palate is full of red fruits- currants, strawberry, watermelon.   There’s a lovely mouthfeel that envelops the gums with rich red berry compote, not much tannins and a hint of acidity.  There are times for finesse and this winery is hitting all cylinders.  The midpalate shows off more red, think cherry cola and currants.  The finish is a short lived affair of much the same.  A nice closing in my opinion.  Drink till 2026 with lighter fare, I’m doing sous vide chicken with wild rice and broccoli.  90 points and 4 stars for this $18 bottle.  Salut….