[Tasted Double Blind] This pours deep ruby, opaque, with light bricking at the rim. The nose is deep and rich, clearly showing some warmth while maintaining old world sensibility. The nose is of ripe dark plum, stewed cherry, brown sugar, shoe polish, leather, light VA, hay, and mint. The palate is also deep and rich on entry, with firm medium tannin and medium acid. The finish is moderate in length built on the dark fruit with light hay and leather accents. Despite it's somewhat modern leanings I really enjoyed this wine and found it quite nice. The VA, leather, and shoe polish had me thinking this was a slightly modern Brunello di Montalcino. Upon reveal I was surprised on two levels. One, that this was Rioja given zero American Oak, but clearly this is aged in French Oak only with explains that. And two that this was Torre Muga, a cuvee that I'd typically think is too modern for me. Well done and thoroughly enjoyable.

[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light garnet in the glass with light bricking. The nose is very earthy, evolved and animal. Aromas are of aniseed, animal fur, leather, roasted chestnut, wet hay, nori, roast pork, and baked strawberries. The palate enters on the ripe, sweet baked strawberry fruit. Tannin is medium minus, acid is medium. The finish is lovely and tarry with baked strawberry, lavender, and earthy herbal components. Just an absolutely gorgeous wine. This came across to me as quite clearly Chateauneuf du Pape, and I had a strong feeling it was Pegau given the light color, whole cluster spice, and light brett. I would have guessed early 2000s or late 1990s, but I had recently sold the person who brought this a 1999, and that made a lot of sense to me, so I correctly identified the wine.

[Tasted Double Blind] This pours inky dark in the glass with no bricking. The nose is of extremely dense fruit centered on blueberry jam. The palate is rounded and polished, with notable RS. Acid keep things fresh, but you also can't help but wonder about acidulation at this ripeness level. I guessed napa valley floor cabernet from a modernist from 2007, so I got that right. Not really my style.

[Tasted Double Blind] This pours light garnet in the glass with medium bricking. The nose is of dried cherries, dark chocolate, wet hay, bay leaf, gravelly dusty soil, and pink flowers. The palate is open knit and expansive with ripe plummy fruit. Tannin is low, acid is medium. The finish is light and tarry, herbal, and leathery. This is another one that came across as clearly Chateauneuf du Pape. I guessed this was Beaucastel from the early 90s or late 80s. Lovely wine.

[My wine] This pours light garnet in the glass, bricking is moderate. The nose is of raspberry coulis, thyme blossom, red currant liquor, and some light crushed rock minerality. The palate enters on red plum and cherry, with medium tannin and medium plus acid. All in all this is quite nicely in tact. Complexity is modest, but the profile is quite pretty.