2008 Domaine Pouillon, Katydid

Domaine Pouillon originated at Reed’s Lane Vineyard when Alexis Puillon fell in love with his future wife Juliet.  Together they started the winery.  The estate has a 2.5 acre vineyard planted with Syrah, Viognier, Roussane, and Marsanne.  Additional fruit is purchased from McKinley Springs, Coyote Canyon, Brehm, Jewett Creek, and Columbia Country Vineyards.  Alexis first worked at Fetzer winery before he apprenticed at Chateau Beaucastel.  This bottle was recommended by Michael and purchased at Soul Wine for $22.  I would personally cellar this wine for a couple years before opening again.  But if you must drink a bottle now then make sure you give it a few hours of air.  Either way, this is a well-priced, balanced, enjoyable wine that I recommend you try.  Both Jenn and I certainly enjoyed this bottle!

McKinley Springs Vineyard, Image from McKinley Springs Winery

The McKinley Springs Vineyard was first planted in 1980.  Today the grower Rob Andrews maintains over 20 different varietals located on 2000 acres of vineyards.  Most of the vineyards are located at 800 to 1200 feet on soils of silt loam with a deep layer of broken basalt.

Coyote Canyon Vineyard, Image from Nancy Bay (Picasa)

Coyote Canyon Vineyard has been in the Smith family for many generations.  The prime products were wheat and Hereford cattle but in 1994 Bob and his son Mike planted 20 acres of Cabernet Sauvignon.  In 2006 Mike’s son Jeff joined and the resulting expansion now encompasses 1100 acres of vines and 25 different varietals.  The vineyards are located at the top of Horse Heaven Hills at 1000 feet.  The soils are a mix of volcanic, loam, and alluvial flood deposits.

2008 Domaine Pouillon, Katydid, Horse Heaven Hills
This is a blend of 60% Grenache, 30% Syrah, and 10% Mourvedre.  The Grenache and Syrah are sourced from the McKinley Springs Vineyard whereas the Mourvedre is sourced from Coyote Canyon Vineyard.  The grapes are fermented then aged in neutral French oak barrels for 11-12 months.  This Rhone-styled blend had a light+ nose of good, finely textured fruit.  Upon first opening, the wine shows leaner red fruit, gravelly spices then eventually fills out and ripens after a couple of hours.  It ultimately becomes a medium-bodied wine with ripe, powdery, supple black cherry and red fruit.  The acidity and tannins are well-integrated. ***(*) 2014-2019.

Recent Purchases from Soul Wine

I shook it up by purchasing two Northwest white wines and only four red wines during my last trip to Seattle. I purchased the Rulo, Syrah from Pete’s Wine Shop with the remaining bottles purchased from Soul Wine upon Michael’s recommendation.  I have a few more trips coming up so by the time these bottles have recovered from any bottle shock I will be back to taste them.  So stay tuned!

White Wines

• 2010 Maison Bleue, Au Contraire, Chardonnay, French Creek Vineyard, Yakima Valley
• 2009 Southard, Roussane, Lawrence Vineyard, Columbia Valley

Red Wines

• 2008 Domaine Pouillon, Katydid, Horse Heaven Hills
• 2010 Ayres, Pinot Noir, Willamette Valley
• 2009 Syncline, Syrah, McKinley Springs Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills
• 2008 Rulo, Syrah, Walla Walla

Syrahs From Washington and France

I picked these two Syrah wines because they are both wonderful wines yet completely different.  I special ordered the Syncline Wine Cellars bottle from City Cellars in Seattle for $30.   The Domaine Faury is currently available at MacArthur’s for $18.   While I recommend both of these wines I am most excited about the Domaine Faury.  It is lovely to drink, tastes like a Northern Rhone Syrah, and at $18 it may be a daily or weekly drinker.  If you have access to both of these you should cellar the Syncline while you drink the Faury.  For those with good memory Lou, Jenn, and I previously tasted the 2009 Domaine Faury, St-Joseph Blanc and I concluded that it was a wine worth seeking out.  Domaine Faury is imported by Kermit Lynch so there should be good availability.

2009 Syncline Wine Cellars, Syrah, McKinley Springs Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills
This wine is 100% Syrah from vines planted in 2000 at the McKinley Springs Vineyard.  Note, previous vintages were cofermented with 2% Viognier so I wouldn’t be surprised if this is 98% Syrah.  The vineyard lies at 335 meters of altitude on sandy silt loam soils.  These grapes are harvested during mid-October.  The wine was aged for 16 months in neutral French oak. It was fined with egg whites from Syncline’s own organic eggs.  There were 230 cases produced.  The bottle is sealed with a glass stopped.

On the second day there was a light nose of sweet, blue-cream aromas with a little “sharpness” detected by Jenn.  In the mouth the crisp, blue fruits mixed with controlled creaminess that disappeared abruptly mid-palate.  There were blue fruits, minerals, and some ink in the aftertaste.  This wine has good, enjoyable flavors, with an effortless delivery of flavor but there are some rough edges, such as a hint of alcohol.  Though the tannins are light this wine needs a few more years to come together. 

2010 Domaine Faury, Syrah, IGP Collines Rhodaniennes
This wine is 100% Syrah from vines located on le plateau rhodanien.  IGP Collines Rhodaniennes is a region that surrounds Cote-Rotie, Saint Joseph, Crozes-Hermitage,  Hermitage, and Cornas. In an email from Lionel Faury he explains that the vineyards for this wine are grown on top of hillsides, with deeper soils, and not the best sun exposure.  These vines were planted between 1995 and 2007 on granite soils.  He is allowed to produce 65hl/ha instead of the 40 hl/ha for St-Joseph so this enables the lower price for the wine. The wine was aged for 7-8 months in 7-20 year old demi-muids.   To “preserve the  freshness and the Syrah aromas” he used a short 10 day maceration time, lower fermentation temperature, and aging in the old demi-muids.

Right out of the bottle there are waves of youthful, Syrah grape aromas mixed with notes of pepper.  In the mouth there are pure flavors of fresh, dark grapes supported by juicy acidity, tart berries, and hints of sweet, powdery spice.  This wine has stuffing!  With air the grapey flavor continues to jump into your mouth and are eventually joined by notes of butter.  This is a lovely drink right now.

Two More Wines From The Bunnell Family Cellar

I was curious to try more of Bunnell’s wines after tasting the 2007 Syrah, Clifton Hill Vineyard that I had purchased on an earlier trip.  With Michael’s help at City Cellars in Seattle I was able to obtain these two selections.  The 2007 vif was purchased for $34 and the 2006 Syrah, Clifton Hills Vineyard for $42.

Jenn and I opened these bottled together.  Both wines were quite closed for the first half of an hour but then continued to open up over the next several hours.  You will be missing out if you drink a glass early on, these wines really do need air!  I recommend both of these wines.  If you have never drunk a Bunnell wine before then start with the vif.  Even though it is almost $10 cheaper it is a cracking good wine.  Actually, I give a slight tilt towards the vif since it does not have the sweet notes I found in the 2006 and 2007 Syrahs.

2007 The Bunnell Family Cellar, vif, Columbia Valley
This wine is a blend of 60% Syrah, 27% Mourvedre, and 13% Petite Sirah.  The Syrah was sourced from the Horse Heaven Hills and the Wahluke Slope.  The Mourvedre and Petite Sirah were sourced from the Wahluke Slope.  The specific vineyards are the Andrews-Rowell, Northridge, and Stonetree.  The wine was aged for 17 months in American and Hungarian oak.  There were 367 cases produced.  The nose eventually revealed focused aromas of lavender, herbs de Provence, and roasted earth.  According to Jenn, the wine was medium-bodied but was light in fruit-weight.  There were some flavors of smoke, a salty profile, and a savory aftertaste.  With air it put on weight and became a little spicy.  Good stuff!  This is more approachable right now than the Syrah.

2006 The Bunnell Family Cellar, Syrah, Clifton Hill Vineyard, Wahluke Slope
This wine is 97% Syrah and 3% Viognier that were cofermented.  The grapes were sourced from the Clifton Hill Vineyard in the Wahluke Slope.  The wine was aged in American and Hungarian oak.  There were 204 cases produced.  On the first night there were some banana notes mixed with Bazooka Joe.  The fruit is more concentrated than the vif.  On the second night the fruit was pleasingly weighty with flavors of sour cherry mixed with smoky earth.  The tannins are soft and integrated in this harmonious wine.  I would age this another year or two but if you drink it now then decant the wine for several hours.

Barrage Cellars

The Entrance

With less than one hour left I had time to visit one more winery before stopping by Baer Winery. A few people had recommended stopping by Barrage Cellars so I did.  This is another young winery.  It was founded in 2006 by owner and winemaker Kevin Correll.  Kevin started off in 1997 by making wine at home followed by volunteering at three different harvests.  He began taking classes at UC Davis and received his winemaking certificate in 2008.  The Barrage name is a combination of Barn and Garage and is a tribute to the first two locations where he made wine.  Today he produces single varietal wines where he often blends across vineyards.

Previous vintages of the red wines have seen approximately two years of barrel aging in 50% new and 50% second-fill French oak.  The alcohol levels have also danced around 15%.  The wines fell into three tiers with the Outcast Cabernet Franc at the top.  This is a wine with potential and certainly worth trying.  The other reds and the Nuclear Blonde Chardonnay are in the middle.  Perhaps with a bit more finesse and less barrel time these wines will rise to the level of the Outcast.  The Riesling was at the bottom and came across as an experiment.

The Tasting Room

2008 Nuclear Blonde
This wine is 100% Chardonnay sourced from the Conner Lee Vineyard.  The vines are seven years old.  It was 100% barrel fermented in neutral French oak for 12 months sur lees.  There were aromas of cheese and biscuits on the nose.  The flavors are ripe with good mouthfeel and a nervey quality.  The aftertaste leaves residual sweet-spices.  It is somewhat disjointed between the nose and mouth.  Not Rated.

2008 Trifecta
This wine is 100% Merlot sourced from Les Vignes de Marcoux, Sheridan, and Conner Lee Vineyards.  There were some green notes on the nose.  In the mouth the ripe fruits are delievered in a medium-bodied package.  Not Rated.

2008 Outcast
This wine is 100% Cabernet Franc sourced from Boushey and Sheridan Vineyards.  This wine was bottled 6-7 months ago and is a well made selection.  The red and blue fruits mix with hot spices in this rich wine.  There are sweeter spices towards the finish as the flavors water down a bit.  I preferred this over the Trifecta.  Not Rated.

2007 Double Barrel
This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon with 40% sourced from Red Willow, 30% Sheridan, and 30% Destiny Ridge Vineyards.  It was aged for 25 months in 50% new French oak.  There is a restrained nose.  In the mouth the black berries compete with some sweet, agressive tannins.  Not Rated.

2008 Eclipse
This wine is 100% Syrah sourced from the Les Vignes de Marcoux Vineyard.  This wine spent 24 months in barrel.  The nose contains strong aromas of bacon and toast from the barrel.  There are spicy black fruits along with sweet blue fruits.  This is nicely done but I really prefer the Outcast.  Not Rated.

2009 Riesling
This wine is 100% Riesling sourced from Dineen Vineyard.  Tasted last this Riesling is intended to be off-dry.  The nose was a bit offputting and not that great.  In the mouth this obviously sweet wine lacked acidity.  Not Rated.

The Barrel Room

Live Wire by Darby Winery

The Entrance

After tasting the wide range of wines at Sparkman Cellars I walked down a few doors to Live Wire which is produced by Darby Winery.  Darby is a relatively young winery with the first commercial release back in 2005.  Live Wire is the second label and was recently launched this spring.  While the Darby Winery label encompasses both single varietal and blended wines, the Live Wire label focuses only on single varietal wines.  The Live Wire wines are also a bit less expensive.  The tasting room is spare with a vintage industrial vibe to it.

It is certainly easy to find amped up wines from Washington that feature big, concentrated flavors and lots of new oak.  The Darby and Live Wire wines are certainly big and forceful but the alcohol is kept reasonably in check.  I have certainly enjoyed some Darby wines in the past, with some abundant and complex flavors, but they are not my preferred style.  I rather liked Le Deuce but this is the only Darby white wine that I have tried.  If you are a fan of this style or only looking to drink a glass or two then check these wines out.

Tasting Glasses

2010 Darby Winery, Le Deuce
This wine is a blend of 58% Viognier and 42% Roussanne.  The Roussanne was aged in stainless steel tanks and the Viognier was aged in 100% neutral oak barrels.  There were 185 cases produced.  This wine was round and rich with floral flavors that were easy to drink.  There were flavors of sweet white peach and honeysuckle supported by lively acidity.  The rich mouthfeel was pleasing.  Not Rated.

Bottles and Tasting Notes

2008 Live Wire, Cabernet Franc
This wine is 100% Cabernet Franc sourced from Stillwater Creek, Stonetree, and Sheridan vineyards.  It was aged for 18 months in 50% new French oak.  There were 200 cases produced.  This wine was dark purple in the glass.  There were concentrated blue/purple fruits with some herbs and spice.  There are barrel influenced flavors that become apparent towards the finish.  It drank well at a cooler temperature.  Not Rated.

2008 Live Wire, Syrah
This wine is 100% Syrah sourced from Discovery, Boushey, and Dineen vineyards.  It was aged for 18 months in 30% new French puncheons and 70% neutral barrels.  There were 275 cases produced.  This wine shows the peppery side of Syrah in a full-bore style.  The flavors were very concentrated producing a big wine with delicious salty and savory characteristics.  Not Rated.

2008, Live Wire, Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot
This wine is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Conner Lee, Sheridan, Stillwater Creek, and Double Canyon vineyards.  It was aged for 18 months, 25% in new French oak and 75% in one year old French oak.  There were 300 cases produced.  This wine steps up the concentration even more with massive flavors of dark berries and fruits along with tannins and a spicy edge.  Not Rated.

Door to the Back Room

J. Bookwalter

The J. Bookwalter Tasting Room Entrance

After visiting the Ross Andrews tasting room I headed over to J. Bookwalter.

The winemaker is a blending machine.  Not only is he capable of blending vintages but he adroitly blends varietals and vineyards.  I have included the compositions for various wines, not only because the vineyard sources are so important in Washington, but because I love the names.  Before my trip to Woodinville I had never heard of Elephant Mountain Vineyard nor Ranch At the End of the Road.  These wines do a good job of containing their alcohol and coming across as medium-bodied.  But the strengths of this winery lie at the extreme ends.  My recommendation is to drink the NV Subplot while the highly allocated Chapter 3 matures.

The Tasting Room

2010 Couplet
This is 74% Chardonnay and 26% Viognier entirely from the Connoer-Lee Vineyard in Columbia Valley.  It was fermented and aged in stainless steel.  This wine has a fresh, but sweet nose reminiscent of banana.  It is quite sweet and tart in the mouth with banana, brown sugar, and spice.  It is a bit odd and has a persistent aftertaste of sweet spice.  Not Rated.

2010 Anecdote
This wine is 100% Riesling that 34% was sourced from Charbonneau, 19% from Sagemoor, and 19% Bacchus of Columbia Valley with the remaining 28% from Sugar Loaf in Yakima Valley.  It was fermented and aged in stainless steel. This wine a light nose that combines funk and freshness.  It is a little sweet in handling the fruit but also acidic.  It leaves the impression of being forcefully made.  Not Rated.

Some J. Bookwalter Reds

NV Subplot #25
This is the 25th non-vintage wine made since 1983.  This is a blend of 48% Merlot, 33% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Syrah, 4% Cabernet Franc, 4% Malbec, 4% Petit Verdot, and 2% Barbera.  This is a blend of vintages encompassing 20% 2010, 32 % 2009, 37% 2008, 1% 2007, 7% 2006, and 3% 2005.  This saw a mish-mash of stainless steel and used French oak for aging.  This reveals purplish highlights in its color.  There are tart red fruits then ripe aromas mixed with darker notes.  With some air there are sweet, spiced aromas.  This is richer in the mouth, with ample sweet spice then soft, purple fruits, with some stuffing and surprisingly, no noticeable wood tannins.  It is actually an interesting wine and the best value.  It was my favorite along with the Chapter 3.  Not Rated.

2008 Foreshadow, Merlot
This wine is a blend of 81% Merlot, 11% Syrah, 3% Petit Verdot, 3% Malbec, and 2% Cabernet Franc.  These grapes were sourced from five vineyards: 33% Ciel du Cheval and 25% Klipsun (Red Mountain AVA), 24% Connor- Lee (Columbia Valley AVA), 11% Elephant Mountain (Yakima Valley AVA), and 7% McKingley Springs (Horse Heaven Hills AVA).  The wine was aged for 18 months in new and one to two-year old French oak barrels.  I found soft, Merlot flavors that were gentle in the mouth and monotonic.  Not Rated.

2008 Foreshadow, Cabernet Sauvignon
This wine is a blend of 75% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Malbec, 12% Petit Verdot, and 1% Cabernet Franc.  These grapes were sourced from six vintages: 26% Dionysus and 15% Connor-Lee (Columbia Valley AVA), 18% Klipsun and 10% Ciel du Cheval (Red Mountain AVA), 27% Mckinley Springs (Horse Heaven Hills AVA), and 4% Elephant Mountain (Yakima Valley AVA).  The wine spent 20 months in new and one to two-year old French oak barrels.  This showed brighter, red flavors as compared to the Merlot, along with some cinnamon toast spice.  A bit simple like the Merlot.  Not Rated.

2009 Antagonist
This wine is a blend of 88% Joseph Phelphs Syrah, 10% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 2% Merlot.  These grapes are sourced from 88% Elephant Mountain (Yakima Valley AVA) and 12% Conner-Lee (Columbia Valley AVA).  It was aged for 16 months in new and  used French oak barrels.  This has the largest mouthfeel yet with purple, Syrah flavors that are balanced by an articulate nose.  There is heat in the finish, ample spice, and very fine tannins in the aftertaste that are from newer oak.  Not Rated.

The J. Bookwalter, Chapter 3

2007 Chapter 3
This wine is a blend of 57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 22% Syrah, 7% Cabernet Franc, 7% Malbec, and 7% Petit Verdot.  The grapes  were sourced from 47% Conner-Lee (Columbia Valley AVA), 23% Ciel du Cheval (Red Mountain AVA), 22% Elephant Mountain (Yakima Valley AVA), and 8% McKinley Springs (Horse Heaven Hills AVA).  It was aged for 20 months in new French oak barrels.  There is a bit of fresh tuna, sweet sushi from the barrels, then sweet fruit followed by dark berry flavors.  The dense flavors are not overdone as they move on to a great mouthfeel. This wine needs age before it fully expands.  There is good potential if you do not mind some obvious oak in your wine.  Not Rated.

Ross Andrew Winery

Entrance to the Ross Andrew Tasting Room

After a strong start tasting wines at Amavi/Pepper Bridge I walked next door to Ross Andrew Winery.  When I tasted the 2008 Syrah, Boushey Vineyard I suspected this might be the highlight of my day.  Six hours later I knew that it was.  It is worth the trip to Woodinville alone just to try this wine.  I am remiss at not purchasing a bottle or two but then I had decided not to buy any wine that day.  I still have this evening to check for any availability.

Inside the Tasting Room

The pedigree at this winery is great.  Ross Andrew Mickel is the winemaker and after working at DeLille Cellars and Rosemount Estate, he spent nine years as the assistant winemaker at Betz Family Winery.  Kirsten poured the wines and happily discussed the winery.

2008 Ross Andrew Winery, Syrah, Boushey Vineyard, Columbia Valley
This wine is 100% Syrah from three different Boushey clones.  The wine was aged 14 months in 70%  new and 30% old French oak.  There were 551 cases of this beautiful wine produced.  This attractive nose has very delicate aromas of berries, purple fruits, and herbs mixed with orange and citrus.  The orange aromas are incredibly lovely.  The nose is quite aromatic but not lifted.  In the mouth the savory flavors have a gritty component with almost subtle tannins that are very fine.  It is drinking well right now and well priced at $35.  This is a unique wine that must be tried by anyone with an interest in Washington wines.  It effortlessly stands above so many other wines.  Not Rated.

2008 Ross Andrew Winery, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley
This wine is a blend of 95% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Merlot.  The Cabernet Sauvignon is sourced from Klipsun and Ciel du Cheval Vineyards on Red Mountain with additional Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from Alder Ridge on Horse Heaven Hills.  The Merlot is sourced from Ciel du Cheval.  In the 2006 vintage the wine spent 19 months  in 100% new French oak.  This new release is still coming together in the bottle.  It starts off with slight aromas of stinky armpit funk (not from anyone in the tasting room!) then a alcoholic headiness to the blue and red fruited nose.  The blue fruits in the mouth are soft in texture and delivered in a linear fashion that gains tannins as it progresses.  This is a young wine and needs to be aged, but honestly, just taste and buy the Boushey Syrah.  Not Rated.

Blueprints for Wine Press Designed by Ross Andrew

Syncline and McCarthy & Schiering’s Store Blend

These wines are relatively well priced with the Syncline at $20 and the McCarthy & Schiering at $23.  Many of the Syncline wines are available at Soul Wine so at $17 this Grenache/Carignan is an absolute deal.  Go buy some!

2008 McCarthy & Schiering, Cabernet Sauvignon, Columbia Valley
This wine is produced at Quilceda Creek Winery and some say it comes from pressed Quilceda Creek grapes.  The label states 15.2% ABV!  This wine starts off as structured with a nice underlying, creamy, blue fruits.  There are stone-like minerals.  The fine+ tannins coat the mouth as a spicy aftertaste develops.  There are drying tannins.  This tilts towards a more alcoholic and wood tannic wine, that clearly needs age.  **(*) 2015-2019.

2009 Syncline, Grenache & Carignan, Columbia Valley
This wine is a blend of 50% Grenache and 50% Carignan.  The Grenache is sourced from Milbrandt Vineyards and Wahluke Slope.  The Carignan is sourced from McKinley Springs and Horse Heaven Hills.  The grapes are hand harvested and the wine is aged for eleven months in neutral French oak.  This bottle drank great over three nights.  The aromas of raspberries and red fruit float out of the glass.  In the mouth there are meaty flavors of dark, red fruit.  There are subdued tannins intermixed with tart red fruit.  There are fresh, strong, purple fruit flavors in the aftertaste.  That wine is a bit disconnected at this point as it leaves the impression of two components: fresh fruit and tannins.  I suspect it just needs some time to integrate.  **(*) 2014-2017.

Four Wines From California and Washington, 30 April 2009

California

Here are two rather different affordable wines from California. The Thumbprint Merlot sports a lot of flavor but lacks focus. It was edged out by the Borra Fusion which comes across as better made and easier to drink.

2005 Thumbprint Cellars, Merlot Reserve Lot, Alexander Vineyard, Dry Creek – $17
A light+ nose of heavier fruit that is ripe with less acidity. This medium bodied wine has dark, blue fruit, sweet spices that are flavorful but come across as a bit flabby. There are darker fruits in the aftertaste and minimal tannins. I’d drink this now.

2005 Borra Vineyards, Fusion, Lodi – $17
This is a blend of 78% Syrah, 9% Petit Sirah, 7% Alacante Bouchet, and 6% Zinfandel. There is a light+ nose of lifted, gritty, ripe red/blue fruit. In the mouth initial flavors of sweet, cinnamon-like spice, and blue fruit followed by slightly spicy red fruit. There is a creamy fruit feel. In the aftertaste there is some acidity and heat. Drink now or within a few years.

Syncline

I brought some wine back from a recent Seattle trip. I always grab bottles from producers that we don’t see in the DC area. This was my introduction to Syncline and I must write that I enjoyed both. Drink the Seduction Red now and the Mourvedre in a few years.

2007 Syncline, Subduction Red, Columbia Valley – $18
This is a blend of 35% Syrah, 21% Mourvedre, 16% Grenache, 15% Cinsault, and 13% Counoise. The fruit is cofermented then aged in 5-10% new French oak barrels for less than one year. In the glass there is a light to medium opaque ruby color with purple shade. The young, fruity nose shows brighter red fruit, some pepper and spices. In the mouth there is medium-round fruit, that is spiced with some tart red fruit in the finish and nice, slightly gritty tannins. This easy to drink wine delivers the goods as soon as it is unscrewed. Drink it within the next few years.

2007 Syncline, Mourvedre, Coyote Canyon Vineyard, Horse Heaven Hills – $30
This 100% Mourvedre wine is aged for 16 months in two-year old French oak barrels. This medium+ opaque ruby with darker purple than the Seduction. There is a light nose of stinky Mourvedre goodness. This medium bodied wine initially shows dense red fruit with blue flavors developing midpalate. There is good texture and with minerals developing in the aftertaste. After 2-3 hours of air it is noticeably more expansive in the mouth and starts to uncoil. I’d cellar this a few years.