Very dark saturated color, really beautiful gradation with no tiring, looks half it's age. Classic tobacco and herb cab nose over a base of earth, asphalt, and creosote. A delicate entry at first with real depth, still a core of tough tannins, a bit soupy and somewhat disjointed for awhile. Develops a nice core of cherry fruit, slightly low acidity, gains depth and plushness yet turns a touch drying and feathery. A beautiful, mature cali cab that can't escape it's somewhat rustic origins.

lovely ruby red with a delicate fading amber rim. Whispy smoke and sandy nose on the nose at first are joined by subtle notes of strawberry jam. Very terthiary and very burgundian, lovely cedary, leafy, thymey nuances develop. Voluptous entry with a gorgeously sweet, resolved entry featuring ripe red fruits with good supporting acidity. Some sweet red apple high tones over juicy sour cherry on the midpalate with cedar and earth leading to a lithe finish. This $4.99 70% cab/30% tempranillo certainly is an overachiever. This retains great spanish character and is a wonderful, elegant, mature wine. Wish I had more!

Very dark color still youthful. Eucalyptus and jammy fruit soar from the glass but underneath there is great depth of dark minerality, burnt aromatic woods, rich soil tones and a note of violet candy. The entry is opulant and spicy with good acidity and soft tannins framing leathery dark plummy fruit but the midpalate is a bit hollow and the finish dies abruptly. The nose on this blend of 65% zin/35%mataro promises much more than the palate can delivery. this was fantastic a few years ago but is now firmly in decline.

Dark and youthful in the glass. This started off with a terrible bottle stink of sour meat and camphor which it never entirely lost. Round and very well integrated with chunky fruit and seamless structure but inelegant. Spicy and slightly bitter midpalate is uncommonly rich with deep leathery, earthy fruit and a roasted meaty edge that leads to a mouthwatering finish. Perhaps at a difficult point in it';s evolution but a bit of a disapointment tonight.

full dark color, makes me think of bulls blood. Stinky right out of the bottle, leathery with dark cherry and earth, minerally, shale, a hint of citrus, super sweet wood notes, a bit of carob, and a seductive cough drop note. very complex and dynamic nose. This is showing a bit more elegantly than previous bottles, perfectly integrated, a muscular dancer, earthy fresh fruit in the mouth with very vibrant red fruits, tightly coiled strawberries on the finish which is richly minerally and delicately tobacco tinged. A consistently great bottle of wine.

Pale and rosy red. Powdery nose with sand and talc notes over whispy smoke, wild strawberry and roses peak out. Develops a strong note of licorice/mint. Round entry with good acidity turning quite tannic through the midpalate, perhaps too tannic at this point, the finish redeems a bit with excellent length and recurring dark spice note with a bit of black pepper and strawberry finale.

Powerful nose with deep minerally limestone notes, crisp fruits, freshly tanned leather, hint of ripe herb over a pool of very ripe dark berry fruits. Mouthfilling with lovely ripe acidity framing dark fruits. Very structured midpalate with vibrant acidity that supports a long finish of red fruit that turns dark and tarry. At peak and firmly mature with great freshness, one of my favorite CCR and this shows why.

Great intensity on the nose with a flush of floral notes followed by plums. dry cow patty, brilliant notes of bloody meat. Soft and richly mouthfilling in the mouth with a layered richness and unusual intensity of flavor centered around dried strawberry, with a subtle shading of dark chocolate and earthy spice. The only fault is the relative simplicity on the palate but this is a true crowd pleaser.

Pretty dark with just a bit of lightening to the edge. For a few hours this exhibited an extreme menthol, pine balsam, insecticide nose that obscured any other notes. Eventually some tar and tobacco notes emerged that were later joined by dusty tree bark. In the mouth the wine is taut and tight with gritty tannins and huge power. This never really opened in stark contrast to the last bottle which evolved into a lush and subtle example. This bottle needs another decade.