The 1998 Balandra is a blend of 50% old vine (90-100 years old) Grenache and the rest Cabernet Sauvignon and Carignan. Copious scents of spicy oak, sweet cranberry and black currant fruit, and vanilla emerge from the opaque ruby/purple color. A sweet attack is followed by a well-delineated, sexy offering that is best consumed during its first 5-7 years of life. Importer: De Maison Selections, Chapel Hill, NC; tel. (919) 933-4245