Brilliant ruby. A wild, highly perfumed bouquet evokes candied dark berries, smoky minerals and licorice, with a sexy floral note emerging with air. Sappy, penetrating and sweet on the palate, offering intense black raspberry and lavender pastille flavors that put on weight with air. Shows surprising vivacity for a hot-year wine and finishes spicy, focused and very long, leaving a note of spicecake behind. -- Josh Raynolds