Medium deep crimson color. Plummy aromas also offer big hints of sage and other spices, nicely balanced with fine intensity. The palate is excellent, with a lovely ripe texture that stops just short of opulence, a firm mid-palate and very fine-grained tannins. The fruits are complex, more red with lots of plums but also both red and black cherry notes. The spices are there in the background, mostly sage but a greener hint of thyme. The finish is moderately long. The whole is very well balanced and integrated. This is a pleasure right now. My first bottle of this wine, its maturity is a pleasant change from some Washington Cabernet Sauvignon based wines that seem to need much more extended ageing. Rated 93, up to a point of improvement possible over the next five years. I have three more bottles and will wait a year before the next.
Dan Kravitz