3/25/2024 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

I don't know Red Hills lake Co. wines very well, so I was interested to taste this biodynamic wine. First of all, at 13 years, the wine is in good shape, probably in its prime but it needed nearly 3 hours to lose the upfront fruitiness. It's nearly opaque, but there's not much to the nose. (Perhaps I decanted too long.) Interestingly, the acidity of the wine borders on volatile, noticible as in other raw wines that I have tasted, but here, adding a spark of freshness to the cab fruit. Tannins are moderate and the wine finishes medium.

3/25/2024 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

I've enjoyed several bottles of this wine and it's one of my favorites. One thing I learned-the wine is drinking beautifully now, but still requires, at least, a 1 1/2 hour decant for the secondary characteristics to emerge. Intense ruby red color. Complex nose featuring tart cherry and cola, clove spiciness, the deepest note is tea leaves, no mushroom funkiness, maybe foresr floor. Unique characteristic-mouth-watering juiciness on a texturally soft, velvety frame that finishes long with a pleasantly bitter finish. Mendo pinot all the way.

2/21/2024 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Second bottle of this wine and it's time to drink up. Similar tasting notes. Highly aromatic, the spices hit me this time-clove, and even incense mixed intense flavors with black raspberries, and tart dark cherry. Juicy, ample tannins, and delicious with an extended and complex finish. From one of California's most prized vineyards.

2/20/2024 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Goldert Grand Cru covers 111 acres in southern Alsace. Decant for many hours if possible. Delicious fruit and petrol aromas emerged on the second day. Medium gold color, I can see the concentration. Primary aroma of peaches, some pineapple. Deeper, I find the mineral complexity nicely balanced with the fruit and nose-tingling petrol. Similar in the mouth where this wine feels quite youthful. Although I enjoy the freshness drinking the wine now, my guess is that complexity will emerge with 5+ years or more in the bottle. Full, viscous mouthfeel. (For pairing I would go with a little sweetness and umami. Sushi or teriyaki comes to mind.) Tangy acidity and very round with an extended fruit forward finish.

2/17/2024 - hosscrow wrote:

Two hectares of clay and limestone Vaillons cru belong to this family where Adrian is the great grandson of the founder. Fermented in oak and elevage in oak and stainless steel preserves the freshness of the fruit. Bright yellow, the herbal and floral aspects of the nose appear first, especially tarragon and white flowers-honeysuckle and acacia. Lemon and other citrus flavors, some vanilla, but little oak influence other than the elegantly rich texture. Medium plus acidity and an extended, nicely balanced finish. Excellent with raw oysters. Less successful with creamy sauces.

2/17/2024 - hosscrow wrote:

One of my favorite expressions of Grenache. (38% Syrah) I first discovered with Dave Phinney's Shatter Maury sec bottling. Unfiltered and unfined. Aged in foudres for texture rather than oak flavors. Schist and marl soils. Bright dark purple with garnet notes. Highly aromatic dark blue fruits along with intense herbal garrique notes. Full in the mouth, pleasing texture with medium acidity and noticable tannins that will soften with age. Medium balanced finish.

2/8/2024 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Lert this wine open for at least an hour for the aromatics to appear. Pale yellow color. Medium to light concentration. Inriguing nose. First impression-the bitterness of nuts, then the garden with flowers such as honeysuckle and something herbal like thyme, followed by a zesty lemon. The savoury elements are lifted by an enjoyable medium + acidity, a surprisingly lightly textured mouthfeel given the powerful and lengthy bitterness and fruit finish. Enjoy with any light cream and fish. We had a Boulud recipe with a base of spinach and green beans, topped with a garlic and light tomato sauce.

1/24/2024 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

A nicely aromatic wine with a lovely light gold color. Ample concentration with a powerful tree fruit nose of peaches, peach and apple blossoms, honeysuckle, and a bit of walnut bitterness. Tuscan hills, no coastal notes. Add honeysuckle to the palate. Appealing juicy texture with a medium+ acidity, in this wine that finishes balanced and long.

1/19/2024 - hosscrow Does not like this wine:

Bordeaux-like without the smoke flavors that I associate with traditional Rioja. Nearly opaque, ruby with significant rim variation and some bricking.
Unlike other CT comments, I say Drink now. Blackberry, some cherry but mostly savory and spice notes plus leather and cedar. Full mouthfeel, chewy tannins. medium plus acidity and a short finish. A disappointment as I have enjoyed Remelluri often. This bottle seems to be aging quickly to me.

1/10/2024 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Wonderful example of Sonoma cab now in its drinking window with at least 5 more years to go. Deep, opaque ruby red with hints of purple. Fresh, highly aromatic blackberry and red currant fruit. Earthy, stoney middle with a nice wood finish of nuts and vanilla. Surprizingly, no tertiary notes. Mouthfilling and delicious with a tart cherry (not at all jammy) lift, ripe taninns, well balanced; Long, even elegant, finish. 90 minute+ decant.

12/11/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Lovely and intense ruby color with some rim variation. Drinking nicely now but has, at least 3 or 4 years to go. Complex highly aromatic nose that begins with Gamay Noir typical pretty candied fruit bowl followed by baking spices and some sweet herbs like majoram or valencia orange. (i sense the connection to Bourgogne here with the solft texture but also something like a slightly oxidized pinot. Similar flavors on the palate adding blueberries. Nice tart acidity to balance the fruit, low tannin and a mouthfeel that caresses the tongue and gums. Moderate distinctive finish. A unique wine.

11/15/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Looks like a Russian River Valley pinot with a dark ruby color and density. Aroma notes of blue and black fruits , dark cherry with cola and spice. Medium plus acid and low tannin with a moderate finish. The 300 acres of Stanley Ranch are on the eastern most vineyard in the Napa side of Carneros. Part of the vineyard is being developed as an Auberge resort. I feel that past Buena Vista Winery PN from this site ofered more interesting complexity. This wine settles on primary characteristics.

11/8/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

What happens when a cool-climate pinot specialist makes a Cab with Napa Valley (St. Helena AVA) fruit? The result is highly aromatic, light on its feet deliciousness. Opaque bright purple to the rim, this wine has lots of life ahead of it. Black currant, blackberries, mint and vanilla on the nose, delicate rather than powerful, juicy rather than jammy, in a medium + mouthfeel, more noticable acidity than tannins, with still a solid structure for the black fruit to hang on and a long, long nicely balanced finish. Reminds me more of a wine from Coombsville than Diamond Mt., acessible now with sufficient acidity to age well. If any is around in 10 years, it will be interesting to see if this style yields those tertiary characterisitics that Napa Cab lovers prize.

10/10/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

This wine shows its aromatic complexity with very little decanting-30 minutes or so; after that it gradually oxidized by the next day. Medium ruby color, darker and heavier than many West Sonoma Coast pinot. Exciting, enticing and complex nose with cranberry, blueberry and cherry; but, for me, what really stands out is the exotic spiciness of this wine- sandalwood, rose and tea. Medium bodied with a silky texture, no noticable tannin and a medium plus acidity. The medium and balanced finish leaves a memorable impression and the desire to seek out more of this producer.

10/1/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

This wine reminds me why I fell in love with Bordeaux in the first place. Classic. Elegent. Complex. As the color moves to the center, a layer of intense garnet gathers around a clear rim. A highly aromatic nose-exotic with spicy incense as the first impression, so inviting. the blue fruit and red fruit have evolved into a combination of leather and cedar box and stones, but also difficult to describe and delicious smelling. The tannins have softenedan d melded with the vanilla in the oak leaving the tang of dried fruit. The balanced but moderate finish seems to end abruptly but then reemerges in a minute or so. Fascinating.

9/22/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Pale gold in color showing a richness that aso shows up in the nose. Pineapple gives a strong first impression, followed by lemon and apple while stoniness lurks in the background. Along with the intensity of the fruit, I can smell the sweetness. On the palate, the density strikes me first and tropical and citrus flavors follow. Auslese comes to mind. There's sufficient acidity to keep the elements in balance to a long finish. Not much complexity at this point, but there's enough stuffing here for other elements to emrge in five or so years. Serve well chilled to keep the wine fresh.

9/21/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Fruit forward but dry. Rich yellow color, smells like lemon, apricot, peach, banana, honeysuckle and peach blossom. Citrus and tropical fruit flavors with a medium/full body and round texturel that goes well with umami foods. Medium acidity on the moderate finish.

8/10/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

A dry version( the more famous sweet version is from the island of Pantelleria) of Muscat of Alexandria with Muscat grapey characteristics. Not complex or memorable.

9/6/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

PnP. Domaine Besson is always reliable (terrior driven) if not stunning or memorable. First impression-full bodied balances the high acidity. Nice nose of lemon curd and seashells. Long finish.

9/21/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

PnP. A dissapointment as I expercted more from this producer. Reminded me of the entry-level (like the Burgundy regional) pinots produced by most of the big name Willamette wineries.

9/2/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Popped and Poured. Mot noticable impression: jet black, opaque color, full body, tongue-twisting, tannic dryness. Needs food.

9/21/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Rocky Ridge is an all Zinfandel property of the well-regarded Mauritson family. Biale sources from this vineyard and its retail price puts it in a league with other high end Sonoma vintners, Gamba for example. so let this powerful wine open for, at least, 2 hours. This Manzanita Creek offering expresses the Rockpile AVA nicely. Lovely medium crimson color with a highly aromatic blackberry, blueberry core vanilla from the oak and appealing spiciness typical of Rockpile, black pepper, clove, nutmeg and fur. Deliciously complex on the palate with black fruits and spices, a smooth medium/full mouth feel, soft acidity and little tannin with a nice balance of fruit and acidity in the long finish.

9/21/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Pale yellow, almost colorless. Grapefruit is the first impression, followed by lemon and a touch of walnut. Mouth-filling flavors of citrus fruits, in a medium bodied, juicy textured, high citrus acidity and an extended finish with a hint of nutty bitterness at the end.

8/5/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

With Penner Ash and Beaux Freres, one of my favorite Willamette Pinots. Medium ruby,significant rim variation. Drinking well now with nice tertiary notes. Five more years tops. Powerful, complex nose of dark cherry, boysenberries, powerful mushroom, tea leaf, forest floor. Medium acidity low tannin with persistent fruit right through the balanced extended fisish. Labeled Old Vine which is significant because Hylandsnis one of the 1970s Oregon wine industry founders and,in my option, underrated.

8/6/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

This wine is a step above the Fiano that I drink, more concentrated with an interesting bitterness on the finish. Medium yellow with peach and honeysuckle on the nose. Quite savory. Mineral powerful mouth filling, tangy high acidity and a long complex finish

7/11/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

This wine offers pinot layered characteristics in spades. Medium ruby garnet color starting to show rim variation. Drink now. Opens with an intense blackberry nose, followed by baking spices, then cola beautifully balancing the fruit with a softly textured medium plus acidity and low tannins. Moderate length finish Even with its cool climate, Toulouse Vineyard/Anderson valley shows fewer forest floor and mushroomy notes than its Oregon neighbors. Too bad that Mac Phail is gone as theirs were some of California's most elegant wines.

6/12/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

I smelled the oxidation on the first bottle of this wine that I opened and dismissed it to the cooking wine bin. When the second bottle exhibited similar smells, I decanted this wine for 90 minutes and what a revelation. I was mistaken because this is a traditional extended maceration ribolla from Colli Floriano in Friuli, the site of many fine "orange" wines. The hint of oxidation adds complexity to the savory, thyme and oregano nose. The palate is nicely balanced between the herbal qualities and a tart acidity and medium tannins. I do not notice much fruit flavor in any aspect of this wine. The wine finishes long and balanced. Amazing with grilled meats and also with red sauced pasta.

6/8/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Medium intensity ruby plus orange hints. Some rim variation. Peaked now as I don't see any [potential for dwvelopment. Drink in the next 3 years. Bluberry. black raspberry, clove spice. no florals. Light to medium mouth feel, soft texture, medium acidity, low tannin, no alcohol to speak of. Leather flavor. Short finish. Little of what you would expect from a barolo. A PLCB Chairman barolo is unusual and I would not buy this again even at the reduced price.

6/10/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Left in the fridge in a small bottle filled to the brim and much more "serious," as one tasting note describes this wine, on the second day. In my experience Siduri wines are produced on the darker end of the pinot color scale which works nicely for this prestigious vineyard. Medium deep, ruby colored with a clear rim and much variation. This wine is in a sweet spot right now. Intensely aromatic with ripe dark cherry, typical SLH cola, baking spices, nice florals but no earth/mushroom to me on the nose. Complex and enduring. Mouth-filling and a bit dusty, more power than elegance with pronounced acidity and a more tannic presence that I am accustomed to in CA PN. An engaging wine that finishes with with an interesting sour/bitter note. A wine with character as I would expect from a Pisoni vineyard wine.

6/10/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

One of those very light ruby colored Pinots that offer surprizingly intense aromas of tart cherry, raspberry and loads of spices from clove to liquorice. Cherry cola stands out on the palate, especially with some air with a high acidity/low tannin that finishes moderately long and balanced. For me, Santa Maria and St. Rita Hills offer California's most nicely balanced pinot. Still CA fruit-forward but the kind of delicious pinot that Miles in Sideways raves about.

6/8/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

A variation on the Bordeaux blend with 80% Cab and then Malbec and a litlle bit of Petite Verdot and Cab Franc. Maybe the lower score resulted from the unusual variation on a Napa Cab. Opaque ruby to the rim, this wine has years ahead of it. Lots of primary dark mountain fruit aroma, blackberries, black curant, a steak of minerality, some tobacco, but mostly fruit-forward at this point. Mouth-filling and powerful with plenty of tannin, but a nice juicy acidity for balance that leads to a delicious extended finish. Certainly ready to drink now, you could hold this wine for 8 years more at least.

6/8/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Intense Golden color. Still a young Condrieu with primary fruit aromasl of peach, apricot, violet a hint of vanilla. Mouth filling, creamy texture, medium plus acidity and low tannins. Struck me at somewhat on-dimensional at this point but promised a future of complex honey and dried fruits. Hold on to this one for, at least 5 more years.

4/20/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

I think that the Clos Pepe from Sta. Rita Hills is Siduri's best pinot. Right out of the bottle, the wine offers intense, complex aromas of tart cherry, earth, mushrooms, and violets. After an hour, these aromas knit together and combine with a bit of smokey oak to offer that satisfying pinot melange. Definitely a California wine, with power over finesesse, the wine still shows a silky texture, with refreshing acidity and low tannin. With its nicely balanced and extended finish, I enjoyed sipping this delicious wine although, after a while, the wine ceased to develop in the glass and I must confess that, unfortunately, I lost interest. I have had this experince with other Siduri wines as well. I've cellared a bottle of their Pisoni vineyard from the Santa Lucia Highlands and, perhaps this wine will continue to be more engaging.

2/7/2023 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

The look of this wine belies its age. A clear rim with delineated variations of purple move to an opaque, black center. In other words, the wine looks youthful. Opening the bottle, secondary notes of blackcurrent, prune, pine and dark chocolate are the most prominent. It smells like a fruit-forward Malbec. Then, with 45 minutes or so decanting, the tertiary dimensions emerge with cedar and leather complimenting the initial aromas, a powerful delightful orchestration of smells. On the palate, the wine offers a mouthful of refreshing medium acidity and a teeth-coating astingency that goes on and on in the extended and exquisitely balanced finish. I was surprised by the minerality. What remains for me is the deliciousness of the fruit from 80 year old vines that produce about .75 tons per acre at 3,500 feet elevation. Only 650 cases produced.

12/25/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

I have not experienced a Zin that ages as well as a Gamba Zin. Aged Gamba's wines also beautifully express the Russian River Valley in the way that aged Rafanelli Zins express Dry Creek. In a perfect drinking spot right now, this wine is a dark garnet with a gradual rim variation from a clear meniscus to a dark but not opaque center. The intense and complex nose starts with mint, clove, and red fruits and moves on to cocoa and tobacco. Intoxicating to sniff, really. RRV elegance sums up the full, silky mouthfeel, soft resolved tannins with plenty of grip, and gobs of blackberries. Violets emerge but no leather or cedar box. To me, from the hot and often overripe 2012 vintage, here's the amazing thing- even at 16.2 ABV, there is nothing "hot" or out of balance in the delicious, long, long finish. A wine to savor by itself for two days, at least.

12/11/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

This wine shows breeding and elegance, especially in the way that all of the elements work together. Something straight-forward and direct, pure and, at the same time, complex. Its velvety texture jumps out first, followed by dark red fruit. Dense. Significant rim variation. Right from opening to nearly 5 hours later, aromas of aged wine, lasting integrated flavors beginning with forest floor, dark cherry, roses, an underlayer of spice, and soil. Light on its feet and at the same time, a mouthful of flavor, red fruits, marked acidity but resolved tannins, and a bit hot but also a long, long delicious finish.

12/9/2022 - hosscrow wrote:

A disappointment to me from this producer. I have enjoyed other Saperavi from FLX and Central PA but this wine seemed one-dimensional with minimal fruit and structure.

11/12/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

As the highly aromatic nose evolves, thyme, clove, and roses emerge with raspberry and cherry offering a delicious, complex, coastal-influenced wine. (a sum larger than the parts). Medium body, velvety texture with a long finish. Great with earthy umami food.

10/13/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

A pinot from a unique location, Epineuil, northeast of Chablis, is not too far from the Champagne region's Cotes des Bar; in other words, up north for red wine, even pinot. The result is a straightforward, tart cherry, energetic wine, great with food; not much depth of flavor, no earth or mushroom funkiness for example, but a suave texture with soft tannins and lifted acidity ending with a medium finish. Drink on the younger side of this wine's life.

10/10/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

I am a Black Kite Chardonnay fan. I think their Chard is one of the RRV's best, so I was delighted to find the same quality and sense of place in their pinot, here from Anderson Valley. Definitely cool climate Pinot with a savory, higher acidity edge to the tart cherry, cranberry, and baking spice flavors. Lovely texture on a lighter frame still lively at a surprizing 14.5 ABV. and quite dark in color. I think that a few years in the cellar will bring out the deeper forest floor aromas.

8/28/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

The wine has a lovely straw yellow color all the way to the rim. Still quite young several years to go. A subtle nose of wildflowers minerality Flint and citrus fruits. A hint of aging with beeswax and spice. A lightly oaked Chardonnay with delicious honeyed flavors, a full mouthfeel with a creamy texture, medium plus acidity and an extended finish that nicely balances the fruit and the acid. Definitely Premier cru quality with its full flavors and texture.

7/13/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Enjoyable, but something is missing. Made in a modern accessible style so the wine has no stirring structure, not complex, certainly not memorable. Bright Nebbiolo orange-tinged color, but moderate to light in depth. Lots of vanilla and not balanced with the cherry fruit. moderate acid and soft, almost flabby tannin. I don't think that this wine has much headroom for improvement.

7/17/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Higher acidity red wine in the summer months needs some time in the fridge to get the temperature down to 62-65. Keep this wine fresh to foreground its nice energy. Drinking nicely now. It's not a reserva or particularly distinguished Brunello, so I'm not certain how much more it will develop. Granted the 2015 vintage is spectacular. With a few hours decant, the wine took on a more herbal note, and a softer acidity. Clear, medium, ruby with some rim variation, medium to light extract and medium alcohol. Moderate, youthful flavors light red fruit, raspberry and strawberry. Moderate nicely integrated tannins, initially a intense acidity that needed pasta and red sauce. Some nice tobacco, olive and tomato stem. Not a strong oak presence. Moderate to short finish that focuses on the juiciness of this wine.

7/17/2022 - hosscrow wrote:

Looks as if Trinchero does not make this Meritage any more. Too bad as it's one of the most concentrated and complex that I have tasted from Napa. Looks like many CT commentators drank this wine years ago which is also too bad because I think it's just coming into its Bordeaux-like drinking window now. Dark, hints of garnet with the brick red. Some sediment but still a lovely, bright color. Powerful tertiary leather and cigar box combined with still jammy blackberry and black raspberry fruit. Fine grained, soft, resolved tannins, present acidity. Flint, lead pencil. New world but has the Meritage, Bordeaux profile. Medium finish. I will look for this wine on auction.

7/17/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Bright, deep ruby with significant rim variation. Drink now. Medium extract and viscosity. Powerful nose with dried, tart red fruits and Asian spices, some forest floor. No wood presence. Low tannin and high acidity, medium alcohol with a round, full texture. Dried cherry, clove, cumin, nicely balanced but the acidity stands out in the extended finish. Cool climate, new world pinot with age-enabling balance. Moderate complexity. Premier cru level. Sevens Bench is a 220' treeless elevation in sight of San Pablo Bay which means sun and fog. Russian River Valley is more fruit forward; Sonoma Coast more mineral and acidity. Delicious.

7/9/2022 - hosscrow wrote:

Medium dark ruby red, slight rim variation, ready to drink. Intermediate between colors of Russian Rive Vally and Petaluma Gap. Intense aromas of fruit, blueberry, red raspberry, clove spice, mushroom, but not mineral and forest floor. Rich, warmer climate pinot noir. Not a delicate wine though with a velvety mouthfeel, solid medium + acidity and a wall of blue fruit lingering in the strong and balanced finish.

6/27/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

At 10 years, this Gamba Zin is entering its drinking window where all of the elements synthesize to a whole greater than the parts. I have enjoyed this experience in the past with Gus Gamba's Estate zin. Particularly notable, the 16.5 ABV is hardly noticeable except to give the wine a luscious creamy mouthfeel, so nicely is the alcohol balanced with fruit and acid. Quintessential Russian River Valley Zin, opaque yet elegant, intense black fruit flavors integrated with baking spices, soft tannins with a hint of leather and tobacco, and an extended finish that goes on forever. One of my stranded on an island wines.

7/2/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Green Valley is in the western part of the Russian River Vally, near Occidental and 7 miles from the ocean. It is the coolest subAVA in the RRV. This cool climate Chardonnay shows bright pale yellow, moving from the rim with medium extract. Enticing, delicate and complex, aromatically, it has earthy notes, raw hazelnuts, fennel herb, sage, stone fruit with completely integrated smokey French oak. The medium +acidity starts out strong on the palate and effortlessly integrates into the wine. Lovely rich texture. The palate shows layers of dried stone fruit and truffles as the wine builds slowly into a very powerful finish. Meursault like.

5/18/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

The full body of this wine is somewhere between an Australian Barossa Shiraz and a Petaluma Gap Syrah. With the rim variation, the wine looks to be in a prime drinking window. Bright ruby with hints of purple, the first whiff shows an aged wine, but as it opens up, the wine seems more youthful. Deep opaque concentration, heavily extracted. Dark dried black fruits, blackberry and cherry, some cinnamon spice on the moderate and not so complex nose. Delicious to sip with medium tannins and a higher acidity, black fruit, moderate complexity and a short finish. Struck me as a warm climate, New World, Washington state wine. Two bottles tasted and still disappointing given Betz's reputation.

5/13/2022 - hosscrow Likes this wine:

Less Mouvedre and more Grenache in the blend than Tempier Classic Cuvee Bandol. The result is a tasty wine but not the Bandol that I appreciate most, the wild gamey aspect is missing. Bright, clear, deep ruby color to the rim, medium extract. In a good drinking window but will last several more years. Moderate, youthful nose of tart red fruits, some spice and a hint of wood. Dry, Medium minus tannins and alcohol. Old World, warm climate. Medium plus acidity, a strong grenache influence. Full bodied. Similar on the palate, elderberry dominates with a hint of coffee, earth and toasty oak. Savory with a short finish.