Tasted tired not corked. Never really came together. Decent food wine but boring, little complexity and unbalanced (overly acidic and tannic) on its own. Never got better over two nights. Auction purchase.
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Decanted. 14.9% alcohol. 76% Cabernet, 12% Merlot, 9% Cab Franc, 3% Petite Verdot. This will conclude my Gemstone retrospective as it's our final bottle of any vintage. The power of CT! on display by being able to look at my notes for this wine over many years. Very good Napa cab nose likely enhanced by the excellent Bordeaux blend of grape varietals. Extraction levels are high, yet basically tamed by tasty fruit. Tannins are firm but compliant. They got a little pissy over 4 hours, so if I had one more bottle, I'd probably just drink it straight up without decanting. Nevertheless, I'm happy that I found the wine pleasant. I've profoundly backed off from Napa wines. Some because of cost, but primarily because they are boring to me now, too often one dimensional. We paired this sucker with a big ass flank steak, and enjoyed the first glasses more than the last.
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Outstanding. Had another bottle a year or so ago and it was somewhat closed. Opened, decanted. After about 45 minutes poured. A wonderful blend of slate, leather and a damp wood flavor. Plenty of currant or cherry throughout. Drinking very well and seems to have life remaining.
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no notes written at time of consumption but remember wine being very slightly disjointed, but did not affect enjoyment. maybe 90+ in a couple of more years
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Into its drinking window now. Complex nose of cinnamon, anise, pencil lead, cassis and blackberry. Dark purple to rim. Good balance and long finish. Very nice.
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While certainly a nice wine, I was a little bit underwhelmed by this showing. Seems to be pretty balanced, displaying some fowardness of the 2002 vintage. Yet really its fairly restrained for a CA cab dominated wine. The CabFranc and PV really reel this one in I think. Finishes with some tannin, but its very approachable right now really. A nice wine but ultimately overpriced in my book.
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continuing my love/hate affair with this wine, i clearly felt it underperformed, contrary to the room. part of a vertical tasting (01-04). not decanted. angular and restrained. little development in the glass.
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Tasting with Jefferson Henry of Karl Lawrence Cellars (Backstreet Wine Salon): Dark ruby color. Blackberry nose. Tastes of blackcurrant, menthol, raspberry, blueberry, cloves and earth. Very well balanced. Nice mid palate depth with an long elegant finish. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Verdot. 14.9% alcohol. My WOTF.
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Opened not decanted. 3rd bottle of the evening. Tasting right now, the next day on day 2. Lots of blackberry, black cherry notes, a touch of smoke, leather and heat; tannins are still prevalent showing a dry and somewhat astringent finish with a tiny bit of greenness. Good.
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76% cab, 12% merlot, 9% cab franc, 3% petite verdot.. Time treats these Gemstones well. The last time I had this it was nice, but surely not monumental. Today, 4 years later it has added weight and class, but more importantly, structure. A very deep and dark reddish black color, this was very fragrant on the nose: cassis, flowers, and black cherries. On the palate there is a very concentrated mouth feel that I don’t really remember this having previous time while sampling. Great structure with some great lushness. The black fruit profile is my playground. Great black currant, plums, blackberries with some kirsch notes, tar, and a hint of soy. A bit of leather and a hint of cedar box. The tannins are still noticeable but did not negatively affect his showing on ounce. It was decanted 4 hours (I believe), which surely was advantageous in this showing. A real elegant classy and uber balanced wine, with a long creamy smooth finish.
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A wine that simply didn't match up to my expectations. This had a bit of a gamey bouquet, major cassis on the core (which was its strength) and heavy oak on this finish. I recently had the 2006 Gemstone and loved it, so I sense the style has been altered a bit since the 2002. This does has some life ahead, I am just not sure it will become what I hoped it to be.
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This is really dense with opaque red purple to the rim. The nose is initially quite weird and funky but with plenty of air it is much more focused and expressive. Aromas of pencil lead, cedar, currant, wild berries, violets, earth, and sage. The palate is concentrated but surprisingly elegant with nice acidity and tannin structure. The flavors consist of red currant, spicy savory, slate, and hints of earth and currant leaf on the finish. Actually quite Bordeaux-like, almost like a cross between a Pauillac and a Margaux. This seemed to be in a weird closed phase initially so decant for three to four hours or give it another five years and revisit. 94+
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decanted 4 hours. from reading my previous notes, this was a spectacular showing for this vintage, yet i still didn't feel it was the equivalent of it's competitors (the lousy bond excepted). there isn't enough depth to my palate in the structure, or the warmth in the fruit that i can recall from the 97 and 01.
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G7 (Jeff): Dark purple color. Blueberry nose. Blackberry, black cherry, soy sauce and blackcurrant. Nice mid palate depth and purity of fruit. Medium bodied. Well balanced. Beautiful complexity and length in the finish.
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all the specifics are in my previous note. splash decanted, and followed in the glass over two hours. this is certainly a better performance than prior bottles, yet the wine remains very angular. at least the tannins aren't completely overwhelming/dominant, and there is a glimmer of potential from further aging peeking out. i'm pleased that the wine doesn't display heat or the profile of an alcoholic mess.
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Color: Deep garnet/purple. Nose: Rich perfectly ripened black cherries, graphite and the first rain on a forest floor. Palate: Very structured tannins. Firm yet silky. Big black cherries, plums, graphite, pencil shavings and pine needles. Extremely long finish, close to a minute and a half. Very full on the mid palate and so smooth on the finish. Good astringency as well.
Nothing like having a $12 burger and this $100+ bottle of wine. What a perfect combination!! So delicious!
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14.9% alcohol. 76% cab, 12% merlot, 9% cab franc, 3% petite verdot. decanted, and followed in the glass 4+ hours. this has performed better than my last bottle, but not by much. nevertheless, this is a gross underachiever. sourced from the winery via the mailing list, perfect provenance. not even remotely close to the 2001; it's not over ripe, it's just not very good. i thought the previous bottle may have been shut down...i no longer think that, i think this is badly overextracted.
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Taste from Dan Cushin. This wine leaps ouf of the glass screaming Oakville. Deep black, exhibits an awesome color in the glass all the way to the rim. Expressive nose of black cherry, tar and rose petals. Currant is also present. A full bodied and chewy wine with an excellently balanced finish showcasing phenomonal acidity. Worth the price? Maybe. I'd like to try another vintage.
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Decanted for two hours and consumed over the following three. Deep opaque purple ruby to the rim. There are fine legs in the glass and the wine seems to cling to the sides. The wonderfully sweet and supple aromas consist of crème de cassis, blackberry, cherry, cinnamon, and currant leaf. The palate is deeply concentrated yet elegant and even floral in its flavors of currant, chocolate, minerals, cigar smoke, and mint. The tannins are ripe and gripping yet unobtrusive which combined with the concentration and acidity yield superb balance. At over one minute the finish is seemingly endless. This wine is a tremendous expression of the cépage that comprises it and I have no doubt it will continue to improve for at least a decade. I should preface the score by stating that this wine was paired with the most sublime steak that I have ever experienced (kudos to Bryan Flannery). Even considering that, I strongly believe the 2002 Gemstone can hold its own against the top wines of the vintage.
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BIG disappointment. stiff as a board despite vigorous decanting over several hours. this is the first non flawed gemstone in any vintage i haven't been happy with. i'm going to chalk it up to being closed, but i'm not real comfortable with that assessment. jane, the princess of bordeaux blend calis, was not enthralled with this either.
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An elegant wine with great depth and excellent balance, particularily for the vintage. More like a Bardeaux blend than a cabernet, it is quite delicious and drinking well after some time in the decanter.
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Deacanted about 3 1/2 hours. Black cherry color; blackberry jam on the nose with some citrus undertones; a smooth drinker with tannins still prevalent. Good, but will improve with 1-2 years of additonal bottle time.
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Wine Spectator Grand Tasting (Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, CA): Outstanding wine. Big nose/mouth of blackberry, black cherry, black raspberry, and vanilla. Elegantly styled. Tannins are big but balanced. Long (45+ second) and supple finish. Very oppulent wine. At under $100 this is a very good value. Top 10 WOTN.
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CLONYC Small Production Gems (Zoe): Wow. An amazing nose on this one. A great black fruit story, uplifting, but told in dark terms. You name a black fruit and it's in there (currant, blackberry, cherry). As it unwound I got hints of cinnamon as well. Not as explosive on the palate, with dark berries and smoke. The finish lingers nicely but for a few dusty tannins reminding you that this is a youngster. Very nicely made.
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5/8/2017 - iamandyc wrote: 88 Points
Tasted tired not corked. Never really came together. Decent food wine but boring, little complexity and unbalanced (overly acidic and tannic) on its own. Never got better over two nights. Auction purchase.
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9/4/2016 - jeff nowak wrote: 90 Points
Decanted. 14.9% alcohol. 76% Cabernet, 12% Merlot, 9% Cab Franc, 3% Petite Verdot. This will conclude my Gemstone retrospective as it's our final bottle of any vintage. The power of CT! on display by being able to look at my notes for this wine over many years. Very good Napa cab nose likely enhanced by the excellent Bordeaux blend of grape varietals. Extraction levels are high, yet basically tamed by tasty fruit. Tannins are firm but compliant. They got a little pissy over 4 hours, so if I had one more bottle, I'd probably just drink it straight up without decanting. Nevertheless, I'm happy that I found the wine pleasant. I've profoundly backed off from Napa wines. Some because of cost, but primarily because they are boring to me now, too often one dimensional. We paired this sucker with a big ass flank steak, and enjoyed the first glasses more than the last.
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4/25/2015 - Wineandsports Likes this wine: 93 Points
Outstanding. Had another bottle a year or so ago and it was somewhat closed. Opened, decanted. After about 45 minutes poured. A wonderful blend of slate, leather and a damp wood flavor. Plenty of currant or cherry throughout. Drinking very well and seems to have life remaining.
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3/24/2014 - FourCorks Likes this wine: 93 Points
Best wine of the night.
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7/27/2013 - Old Vino wrote: 89 Points
no notes written at time of consumption but remember wine being very slightly disjointed, but did not affect enjoyment. maybe 90+ in a couple of more years
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3/6/2011 - zinfidel Likes this wine: 93 Points
Into its drinking window now. Complex nose of cinnamon, anise, pencil lead, cassis and blackberry. Dark purple to rim. Good balance and long finish. Very nice.
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1/17/2011 - Bryan wrote: 92 Points
Wine is def. ready and should be drunk nice secondary smells and flavors --fruit is balanced but waining
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10/9/2010 - drycab wrote:
Loads of secondary flavors appearing but the fruit is disappearing so drink up!
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12/15/2009 - Ekoostik wrote: 91 Points
While certainly a nice wine, I was a little bit underwhelmed by this showing. Seems to be pretty balanced, displaying some fowardness of the 2002 vintage. Yet really its fairly restrained for a CA cab dominated wine. The CabFranc and PV really reel this one in I think. Finishes with some tannin, but its very approachable right now really. A nice wine but ultimately overpriced in my book.
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10/6/2009 - jeff nowak wrote: 90 Points
continuing my love/hate affair with this wine, i clearly felt it underperformed, contrary to the room. part of a vertical tasting (01-04). not decanted. angular and restrained. little development in the glass.
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10/6/2009 - kstoddard wrote: 94 Points
Tasting with Jefferson Henry of Karl Lawrence Cellars (Backstreet Wine Salon): Dark ruby color. Blackberry nose. Tastes of blackcurrant, menthol, raspberry, blueberry, cloves and earth. Very well balanced. Nice mid palate depth with an long elegant finish. 76% Cabernet Sauvignon, 12% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 3% Petite Verdot. 14.9% alcohol. My WOTF.
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8/9/2009 - tanglenet wrote:
Opened not decanted. 3rd bottle of the evening. Tasting right now, the next day on day 2. Lots of blackberry, black cherry notes, a touch of smoke, leather and heat; tannins are still prevalent showing a dry and somewhat astringent finish with a tiny bit of greenness. Good.
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6/15/2009 - King Cab wrote: 92 Points
76% cab, 12% merlot, 9% cab franc, 3% petite verdot.. Time treats these Gemstones well. The last time I had this it was nice, but surely not monumental. Today, 4 years later it has added weight and class, but more importantly, structure.
A very deep and dark reddish black color, this was very fragrant on the nose: cassis, flowers, and black cherries. On the palate there is a very concentrated mouth feel that I don’t really remember this having previous time while sampling. Great structure with some great lushness. The black fruit profile is my playground. Great black currant, plums, blackberries with some kirsch notes, tar, and a hint of soy. A bit of leather and a hint of cedar box. The tannins are still noticeable but did not negatively affect his showing on ounce. It was decanted 4 hours (I believe), which surely was advantageous in this showing. A real elegant classy and uber balanced wine, with a long creamy smooth finish.
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6/13/2009 - wineislife wrote: 89 Points
A wine that simply didn't match up to my expectations. This had a bit of a gamey bouquet, major cassis on the core (which was its strength) and heavy oak on this finish. I recently had the 2006 Gemstone and loved it, so I sense the style has been altered a bit since the 2002. This does has some life ahead, I am just not sure it will become what I hoped it to be.
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6/8/2009 - Badfish wrote: 94 Points
This is really dense with opaque red purple to the rim. The nose is initially quite weird and funky but with plenty of air it is much more focused and expressive. Aromas of pencil lead, cedar, currant, wild berries, violets, earth, and sage. The palate is concentrated but surprisingly elegant with nice acidity and tannin structure. The flavors consist of red currant, spicy savory, slate, and hints of earth and currant leaf on the finish. Actually quite Bordeaux-like, almost like a cross between a Pauillac and a Margaux. This seemed to be in a weird closed phase initially so decant for three to four hours or give it another five years and revisit. 94+
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4/27/2009 - jwebtx wrote:
Ripe & tasty, but not much complexity on the nose or in the mouth at this point. It was in serious company and did not rise.
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4/27/2009 - jwebtx wrote: flawed
corked
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4/18/2009 - moonmanvegas wrote: 93 Points
It took some time to open up nice balence enjoyed this bottle
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12/31/2008 - Phin wrote: 95 Points
Long decant. Huge nose of red fruit and currant. Full body. Great depth and long finish.
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12/1/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 92 Points
decanted 4 hours. from reading my previous notes, this was a spectacular showing for this vintage, yet i still didn't feel it was the equivalent of it's competitors (the lousy bond excepted). there isn't enough depth to my palate in the structure, or the warmth in the fruit that i can recall from the 97 and 01.
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12/1/2008 - kstoddard wrote: 93 Points
G7 (Jeff): Dark purple color. Blueberry nose. Blackberry, black cherry, soy sauce and blackcurrant. Nice mid palate depth and purity of fruit. Medium bodied. Well balanced. Beautiful complexity and length in the finish.
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10/20/2008 - CMCLR wrote: 91 Points
Got better with time. A little tannic.
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8/11/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 90 Points
all the specifics are in my previous note. splash decanted, and followed in the glass over two hours. this is certainly a better performance than prior bottles, yet the wine remains very angular. at least the tannins aren't completely overwhelming/dominant, and there is a glimmer of potential from further aging peeking out. i'm pleased that the wine doesn't display heat or the profile of an alcoholic mess.
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5/19/2008 - NapaJustin wrote:
Color: Deep garnet/purple.
Nose: Rich perfectly ripened black cherries, graphite and the first rain on a forest floor.
Palate: Very structured tannins. Firm yet silky. Big black cherries, plums, graphite, pencil shavings and pine needles. Extremely long finish, close to a minute and a half. Very full on the mid palate and so smooth on the finish. Good astringency as well.
Nothing like having a $12 burger and this $100+ bottle of wine. What a perfect combination!! So delicious!
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5/3/2008 - Phin wrote: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Rich dark fruits. Needs decanter time.
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1/12/2008 - jeff nowak wrote: 87 Points
14.9% alcohol. 76% cab, 12% merlot, 9% cab franc, 3% petite verdot. decanted, and followed in the glass 4+ hours. this has performed better than my last bottle, but not by much. nevertheless, this is a gross underachiever. sourced from the winery via the mailing list, perfect provenance. not even remotely close to the 2001; it's not over ripe, it's just not very good. i thought the previous bottle may have been shut down...i no longer think that, i think this is badly overextracted.
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10/2/2007 - beezer6 wrote: 92 Points
Taste from Dan Cushin.
This wine leaps ouf of the glass screaming Oakville.
Deep black, exhibits an awesome color in the glass all the way to the rim.
Expressive nose of black cherry, tar and rose petals. Currant is also present.
A full bodied and chewy wine with an excellently balanced finish showcasing phenomonal acidity.
Worth the price? Maybe. I'd like to try another vintage.
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6/28/2007 - Badfish wrote: 97 Points
Decanted for two hours and consumed over the following three. Deep opaque purple ruby to the rim. There are fine legs in the glass and the wine seems to cling to the sides. The wonderfully sweet and supple aromas consist of crème de cassis, blackberry, cherry, cinnamon, and currant leaf. The palate is deeply concentrated yet elegant and even floral in its flavors of currant, chocolate, minerals, cigar smoke, and mint. The tannins are ripe and gripping yet unobtrusive which combined with the concentration and acidity yield superb balance. At over one minute the finish is seemingly endless. This wine is a tremendous expression of the cépage that comprises it and I have no doubt it will continue to improve for at least a decade. I should preface the score by stating that this wine was paired with the most sublime steak that I have ever experienced (kudos to Bryan Flannery). Even considering that, I strongly believe the 2002 Gemstone can hold its own against the top wines of the vintage.
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5/30/2007 - jeff nowak wrote: 87 Points
BIG disappointment. stiff as a board despite vigorous decanting over several hours. this is the first non flawed gemstone in any vintage i haven't been happy with. i'm going to chalk it up to being closed, but i'm not real comfortable with that assessment. jane, the princess of bordeaux blend calis, was not enthralled with this either.
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2/21/2007 - bdenuyl wrote: 94 Points
An elegant wine with great depth and excellent balance, particularily for the vintage. More like a Bardeaux blend than a cabernet, it is quite delicious and drinking well after some time in the decanter.
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11/12/2006 - oregato wrote:
Excellent! I hope the 2003 is as good as this.
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10/22/2006 - tanglenet wrote:
Deacanted about 3 1/2 hours. Black cherry color; blackberry jam on the nose with some citrus undertones; a smooth drinker with tannins still prevalent. Good, but will improve with 1-2 years of additonal bottle time.
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10/20/2006 - winefool wrote: 91 Points
WS California Wine Experience Napa Valley Cabernet Tasting (San Francisco Marriott): Full opaque black/purple. Big bright acidic nose of pale black fruit. Nice full black fruit on a firm frame, but not on the same level as the others in this group.
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10/19/2006 - GolferChris wrote: 96 Points
Wine Spectator Grand Tasting (Marriott Hotel, San Francisco, CA): Outstanding wine. Big nose/mouth of blackberry, black cherry, black raspberry, and vanilla. Elegantly styled. Tannins are big but balanced. Long (45+ second) and supple finish. Very oppulent wine. At under $100 this is a very good value. Top 10 WOTN.
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8/3/2006 - bsherwin wrote:
CLONYC Small Production Gems (Zoe): Wow. An amazing nose on this one. A great black fruit story, uplifting, but told in dark terms. You name a black fruit and it's in there (currant, blackberry, cherry). As it unwound I got hints of cinnamon as well. Not as explosive on the palate, with dark berries and smoke. The finish lingers nicely but for a few dusty tannins reminding you that this is a youngster. Very nicely made.
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