The staggeringly rich, complex 1997 Rubino vino da tavola (a blend of 80% Cabernet Sauvignon and 20% Merlot, aged in 100% new oak, and bottled unfined and unfiltered) exhibits a dense ruby/purple color in addition to a sumptuous nose of blackberries, raspberries, and cassis intertwined with toasty new oak, minerals, and licorice. Full-bodied, ostentatious, and flashy, with loads of glycerin, and a 35+ second finish, it can be drunk now and over the next 15 years. Bravo! A Leonardo Locascio Selection, Winebow, Hohokus, NJ; tel. (201) 445-0620