The wine is a beautiful rich ruby color in the glass with a bit of opacity at the center. The nose is a lovely combination of vanilla bean, leather, blackberry and a hint of graphite. The taste is a modest bit of fruit up front, some blackberry and plum, but very subtle, which transitions to some lovely winter spice notes midpalate, a bit of nutmeg and vanilla which brings my mind right to Christmas time. The finish is very nice, with a strong minerality, dusty limestone and some basalt that intermingle with some very well integrated tannins, providing for a long, smooth and exceptionally dry finish.
Overall I would rate this wine a solid 8, as it's solid and a great value at $17! This is definitely not the fruit bomb sort of Cabernet that seems so prevalent today, but is wonderfully structured and complex. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled porterhouse, baked potato and some steamed green beans that I bought fresh from an Amish family. Cheers!
