The best of the dry red wines is the 2003 Petit Verdot. Dark ruby/purple-colored, it has a splendid nose of crushed violets, wild blueberry, and chocolate. This is followed by a medium to full-bodied, nearly opulent wine with ripe, sweet, layered fruit, excellent integration of oak, tannin, and acidity, and a long, pure finish. This could easily pass for a classified growth Medoc in a blind tasting. Drink this outstanding effort over the next 6-8 years. Importer: Opici Wines , www.opiciwines.com

Starts out on shaky ground with coconut and chemical aromas. In the mouth, it hits very hard with cola, raisin and cherry flavors. Falls flat and empty on the finish, and as a whole it seems overdone. Seems like a novelty, and at $36 it fails to impress.——M.S.(10/1/2009)—— 83