Wednesday, April 26, 2006 - It kills me to enjoy this; I've auctioned most of my new world wines for old. Drank staight from bottle to glass at cellar temperature. Black-purple and opaque. Use it to protect your eyes from a total solar eclipse. Its highly extracted, alcoholic and dense. However, I can't avoid enjoying its aromatics, purity and balance. Black currants, plum, licorice and coffee. Heavy oak doesn't overwhelm in the face of the impenetrable fruit. A truly regal wine. The monster tannins have mellowed. On the other hand, this is NOT a food wine. This is a wine to drink alone, or with strong aged cheeses and meats before or after a meal, not during. If you burn your Chateaubriand, serve this and no one will notice the charcoal in their teeth.
OK, that was last night. I hated rating this a 92; tonight, I regret elevating it a point. Its gotten smoother, more balanced, and more complex. Despite its mass, its still elegant. The dark fruit now seems accompanied by butterscotch and dark chocolate. Protracted finish seals the deal.