Full medium ruby. Aromas of blackcurrant, licorice, tar and menthol, plus a whiff of game. Sweet, dense and deep, with lovely texture to the cassis and licorice flavors. A bit youthfully gritty and in need of some more bottle aging. But the suave, chewy tannins avoid dryness and the wine offers excellent persistence.

This wine brings fine Bordeaux to mind, with aromas of eucalyptus and mint, black currant flavor and firm tannin, and a finish of forest floor. But it’s also its own wine, with leather accents, a big, silky body, tart berry and cola, and a warm finish.——M.D.(9/1/2006)—— 88