Colour: Deep red with magenta hues. Nose: Expressive varietal lift - predominantly blackcurrant with a hint of tomato leaf. Wild raspberry and blackberry nuances become evident as the wine sits in the glass. A subtle background of spicy, smoky oak. Palate: Generous ripe berry fruits - like blackcurrant conserve - with a suggestion of praline. Pronounced, yet not aggressive, tannins. Finishes with a fruit sweetness and balanced oak/tannin firmness. Serving and Cellaring Suggestions: This wine will gain complexity and evolve with careful cellaring. An ideal accompaniment to roast lamb.

Rating: 88/100 - As reviewed by International Wine Cellar in Issue 115, July/August 2004. ($80) Full red-ruby. Spicy, high-toned nose dominated by tar and bourbon notes of American oak, along with hints of moss and loam. Lush and sweet in the mouth, with nicely concentrated flavors of currant, plum, tobacco and coffee. Finishes with fresh fruit but also a distinctly dry edge from the oak. Will this wine ever really integrate its heavy dose of wood?

"Rich in texture, with a refined approach to a powerful bolt of cedary, earthy, slightly leathery blackberry and currant fruit, hinting at mint and a touch of eucalyptus on the long, generous finish. Drink now through 2012. 6,000 cases made. (HS)"

nicely balanced and not overly powerful good nose and finish. Bordeaux like aftertones. sexy nose.