Shows just the slightest bit of copper hue under an aggressive mousse. Richly fruited on the nose and palate, along with cashew, chalk, yeast and strawberry elements. Very nice. 88-89 pts. (SS)

Our final bottle, served double blind to the group. Opens with melon and orchard fruit notes with a waxy undertone. Rich and layered, with softened fruit tones and acidity. Nicely balanced, with a medium finish. Perhaps a bit four square on its own, but I think this would do very nicely at the table with poultry or fish.

Served double blind to the group. Opens with lovely floral elements- honeysuckle and apple blossom, along with peach, apple and citrus qualities. Bright acidity gives this a clean, fresh quality. Count me as a fan.

Blind. Faded garnet color with some bricking. Tobacco, earth, currants and licorice notes. Medium-bodied and fully-integrated, showing black fruit and spice flavors. Picks up a molasses quality as it breathes in the glass. WOTF for a few of the group. I did not pick this out as our Paloma. 92-93 pts.

A terrific showing, having been gently double decanted off its sediment and placed back under cork 2.25 hours before the flight was poured. This took another 10-15 minutes in the glass to really hit its stride.

Double blind. Notes of chocolate, black cherry and herbs. Flavors of red berry fruit, chocolate and soy. Very nice. Guessed syrah. (J&L)

Blind. Aromas of green tobacco, red berry fruit and leather. Fully-integrated. Flavors of chocolate and dark plummy fruit. Opens further as it sits, adding cherry, herb and cedar qualities, and the fruit fleshes out on the palate. Finishes with good length. Just a lovely mature wine. I suspected this was our CSJ, opened in honor of a last minute attendee born in 2002.

This too had been gently double decanted off its sediment and placed back under cork 2.25 hours before the flight was poured. A beautiful showing from our penultimate bottle.

Double blind. Notes of cinnamon, cherry, tobacco and earth. Medium tannins. Red plum, raspberry and earthy elements on the palate. Took a while to open and fully reveal itself, but clearly Bordeaux. Seemed much older than 2015 and ready now if this was a representative sample. (R&D)

Blind. Light red with significant bricking. An initial bit of sulphur/burnt match blows off to reveal black currants, cherry and tobacco. Medium-bodied with fully-integrated tannins and flavors of red currant and dried herbs. Earthy undertones. This had been double decanted off its sediment about two hours before the flight was poured.

Double blind. Light color. Notes of cherry and rhubarb; bright. Full-bodied. Rhubarb, cherry and cinnamon flavors with a medium finish. Very nice. (R&S)

Double blind. Youthful dark color with notes of currants, mocha, barrel spice and brown sugar. Full-bodied with medium tannins and flavors of black fruit and plum. Develops a lovely perfumed floral quality as it breathes in the glass. 92-93 pts. (J&S)

Double blind. Dark color with notes of balsa wood, blue fruit and perfume. Balanced, with fine tannins and abundant dark. Finishes with good length. (V&M)

Double blind. Bouillon and soy notes with plum and dark fruit underneath. Medium-bodied. Hints of raisin on the palate; slightly ripe/plummy/raisiny. (J&S)

Double blind. Notes of bouillon, hay, red fruit and herbs. The hay/dried straw quality follows on the palate, with red berry fruit. Somewhat lean. Atypical for the vintage, once again showing rather lean, bordering on austere. (V&M)

Double blind. Notes of black raspberry, herbs and jammy red fruit. Full-bodied, featuring plum, dark fruit, soy and balsamic elements on the palate. Medium finish. (R&S)

Double blind. Notes of dark fruit and plum; ripe. Ripe, syrupy dark fruit on the palate with chocolate tones in the finish. (R&D)

Double blind. Dark opaque color. Notes of chocolate, saw dust, black currants, plum and browned butter. Firm but fine tannin; structured, with dark plummy fruit, chocolate and licorice. (SS)

Double blind. Notes of chocolate, blackberry, sage and tobacco. Medium tannins with flavors of black fruit, herbs and chocolate. Balanced; lingering finish. Excellent. (J&S)

Double blind. Plummy dark fruit with herb and soy qualities as well. Softened tannins with plum and blackberry jam flavors. Hints of cedar and vanilla bean. (J&L)

Nonblind with dinner, pouring a youthful red color with no bricking. Cassis, blackberry and chocolate notes. Fine tannin with an abundance of dark fruit on the palate. Lovely. (SS)

Black raspberry, mulberry and spicy, briary notes. Lush ripe zin fruit dominates the palate- not heavy or overly ripe- with pepper/spice carrying the finish. Excellent. (V&M)

Half bottle. Light golden copper color. Apricot, marmalade and pineapple notes. Dried apricot dominates the palate, with vibrant acidity giving this a wonderful bright, fresh quality. Delightful. (SS)

Notes of caramel, toffee, pear and raisin. Flavors of fig, pear, raisin and toffee with a long finish. Great value.