This wine's dark garnet color is healthy, but where's the bouquet? Vague aromas of redcurrants, earth, and spice manage to emerge after ten minutes of swirling. The wine's tannic, hard character reveals sweet fruit, but once again, the sweetness is at the front of the palate and is followed by a sour finish. This wine should be drunk up before it disintegrates into a glassful of acidity and tannin. The tasting notes for this section are from two single blind tastings, one conducted in May, 1996, in California, and the other in June, 1996, in Baltimore.