Made in the tell-tale Kirwan style (medium to full-bodied, lots of muscle, concentration, and thickness), the dense purple-colored 2008 offers sweet blackberry and cassis fruit along with a layered mouthfeel. A sleeper of the vintage, this 2008 remains backward and thus will benefit from 2-3 years of cellaring. It has the potential to keep for two decades.

The core of plum and fig is pumped by dark maduro tobacco in this solid red, with a long, supple finish that shows definition and has a nice sweetness of fruit. Drink now through 2014. 7,000 cases made. -JM

Lots of new wood here, very spicy, toasty on the nose and palate. There is a dense, firm tannic character as well and the finish offers fresh flavors, typical of 2008. For medium-term aging over 5–7 years. ——R.V.(4/1/2011)—— 90