1 | Wine | Unrated, 2009 | Page 5

"Ripe red and black fruit aromas mingle with leather and spice, exquisitely balanced by wood notes evoking vanilla and toast."

"It is certainly a good wine, with notes of chocolate, mocha and espresso as well as hints of mulberries and black cherries, but it is nowhere near the level of concentration the barrel sample had suggested. This blend of 90% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc is medium-bodied deep plum/ruby in color, and best drunk over the next 7-8 years." -Robert Parker, The Wine Advocate, 89 pts.

"Lighter-bodied, with a racy edge to the Damson plum and bitter cherry notes, flecked with grilled herb and framed by judicious toast. A touch loose in the end." Wine Spectator, 88 pts.

"Pronounced aromas of dried cherries, coffee and fine tobacco precede rich flavors of black fruits and hints of licorice and spice. The weight, density and concentration of the fruit coupled with this vintage's textured layers will allow this vintage to develop additional complexity for years to come."