The 2004 Petit Verdot (100%) was aged for 24 months in new French oak. Aromas of pain grille, pencil lead, spice box, violets, blackberry, and black currant leap from the glass. On the palate, notes of coffee, preserved fruit, and chocolate make an appearance. Ripe, layered, and firmly structured, this impressive effort will develop for 4-6 years in the bottle and drink well through 2030. Importer: Kobrand Corporation, New York, NY; tel. (212) 490-9300

Coffee and black plum flavors struggle with assertive tannins in this lean, tough red. Ripe and concentrated, but lacks finesse. Drink now through 2010. 80 cases made, 80 cases imported.??–TM??Region: Spain / Vi?o de la Tierra de Castilla y León Select to Add

This is an interesting wine that offers a nice perfume but limited flavors and complexity. So what makes it so interesting, you ask? Well, the fact that it’s varietal Petit Verdot from the Duero River Valley, which is not common; that and the fact that it’s a mind-boggling $200. The wine itself shows a deep color, vanilla and cocoa flavors, and a range of dark-berry flavors. Elegant and provacative, it’s not.——M.S.(2/1/2008)—— 87