<p>Deep in color with bold, rich aromas of smoke, cassis and plums.&nbsp;The wine bursts with juicy, mouth-filling flavors of cr&egrave;me de cassis, dried-fruit, sweet vanilla and cherries. Very balanced from beginning to end, it will continue to age for up to 15 or more. 475 cases produced.</p><p>The five-acre Gravelly Meadow vineyard was originally a prehistoric river bed. This stony, gravelly soil drains rapidly and the vines struggle for moisture.</p><p><strong>88 Points, Wine Spectator:</strong></p><p>&quot;Herb, bell pepper, rye, sage and taut Cabernet flavors are intense and complex, slowly unfolding and suggesting that this will require substantial cellar time. As it stands, this is solid, compact, tight and tannic. Best from 2012 through 2020. 475 cases made. &ndash;JL&quot; (11/15/2009)</p>

A fair bit off the pace set by its two handsome siblings and simply less wine than either, this rather tight-fisted wine seems a bit underfilled, and its slightly lower fruit is pushed aside by hard-charging oakiness. It is presently cut off by lots of toothpicky astringency, and its chances for redemption over time are less certain than its mates.

Community Tasting Notes (average 93 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 3 notes)

Rating for United States-California: 91 (slightly better than average year)<br/><br/>Drinkability: young, aging quickly, could be good now<br/>