The 2005 Pago La Jara spent 18 months in new French oak. It reveals a super-expressive aromatic array of toasty new oak, smoke, lavender, spice box, blackberry, and black cherry. A behemoth on the palate, this still tightly wound wine shows off a big mouthful of ripe, savory fruit, big tannins, exceptional density, and a decade of aging potential. It should offer prime drinking from 2018 to 2035. Importer: Vintus LLC, Pleasantville, NY; tel. (914) 769-3000

There’s no shortage of ripeness in this single-vineyard, somewhat hot and wild Toro. The nose is all spice, heat and simmering black fruit, and that’s backed by a brooding, heaviy concentrated palate. Teetering on the precipice of overripe, this wine needs all the air and patience you can give it to muster elegance to match its power.——M.S.(6/1/2008)—— 91