Here is a wine that totally surprised me. The 2012 Faro Palari is enormously profound, elegant and finely etched. It is a wine that should be celebrated thanks to the myriad of small details it offers. First, the 2012 vintage shows a mineral side that is absolutely beautiful. The nose is sharp and focused with pencil shaving, brimstone and flint. As soon as those drying mineral notes lift, the bouquet warms up with fruit flavors: cherry, blackberry and dried raspberry. The bouquet continues to evolve with spice, leather and tobacco. This wine reaches an impressive level of complexity. Even though 2012 was not a classic vintage, the Faro appellation shows beautifully. In the mouth, the wine offers intensity, fleshy fruit flavors and bright acidity. The tannins are both soft and firm. This is a more immediate expression and I will give the wine a slightly shorter drinking window. This vintage will drink well in the long term but it will also show promising results in the medium term.