"Wafting aromas of ripe red currants, black cherries and mildly smoky and sweet vanilla oak. Layers of currant fruit, dense black cherry, and notes of brown spice (cocoa, nutmeg), dark chocolate, and hints of sandalwood. Keeps showing its stuff as it breathes in the glass—for folks who want the full experience and may be a bit impatient, decanting is a good idea. Perfect balance, great concentration and length, and loaded with fine, ripe tannins for having with food or for aging. This wine should also age beautifully for 10-25 years. Pairs well with a wide range of foods including grilled steak, roasted pork loin, veal, medium-strong cheeses, and most cream sauces."

"Pain grille, pencil lead, Asian spices, incense, violets, and assorted black fruits inform the nose of a complex, intense, layered, spicy, succulent wine with impeccable balance and length. Although it can be approached now, it will benefit from another 2-3 years of cellaring."

"It offers a ripe bouquet of raspberry coulis, strawberry, vanilla and cedar, augmented by cigar box with a little aeration. It is well-defined, and the oak is neatly folded into the fruit. The palate is fleshy in the mouth, to the point where you would think it was more Merlot than Cabernet Sauvignon. It is nicely balanced, although I searched for more backbone and structure, especially on the finish, which is delineated but laconic. It is undoubtedly a very pleasurable wine, but I feel it could give so much more."