4th Saturday Brown Bagger (J&L's): Double blind. Aromas of black fruit and sweet tobacco. Full-bodied. Flavors of black currants, loam and tobacco. Long finish.
This had been decanted for an hour and then allowed to breathe in bottle for another 2 before the flight was poured. (R&D)
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Popped this by accident. Thought I was popping a 2007. Decanted for approximately an hour. Muted nose of plums and jam. Fruit forward on the palate. Well balanced and put together but not memorable. Nothing really negative here. A good, juicy cab but otherwise unremarkable. Drink or hold.
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Ripe, fruit forward with red and black berries, cassis and plum. Lush, full bodied and smooth with soft tannins. Tilted too far to the fruit side to pair with the New York strip it accompanied. Better match is a charcuterie plate with good company.
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Pours dark purplish red. Powerful, generous aroma of blackberries, tobacco and a hint of bell pepper. On the palate, blackberries, leafy tobacco, licorice. Grew more complex with air time, with some dark plum fruit and cassis. Tannins are present but soft. Very classic, very classy. Open for business and drinking very well.
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Bold ripe and jammy. Concentrated with dark fruit such as black berries, cherries and plum. Decanted overnight and tannin somewhere balanced with acidity and alcohol. Drawback is I felt the sugar level on the higher spectrum. I will spend my $ on other cabsav.
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This will benefit from decanting but not totally required. The nose opens with notes of black fruits, chocolate, leather and a slight green pepper.
The palate is full of smooth and silky tannin and while full bodied it has a lushness in the mouth. Dark fruits, earthy elements, tobacco and a smooth finish with hints of green pepper.
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Ready to drink now, no decanting necessary. Wonderful fruit expression with hints of bell pepper and chocolate. Long, satisfying finish. Could be mistaken for a Bordeaux.
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There was a nice pepper/herbal note on the nose. The taste profile has a lot of red fruit and fresh brewed coffee to it. This wine is smooth, lush and very well balanced. The tannins are very well integrated also. Very good....
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PnP. Dark purple to magenta at the edge. Nose is black fruit, paste, and oak. Palate is a bit brighter...more cherry, raspberry, iron, hint of graphite. Mid- to full-bodied, decent finish. Similar experience to last time...very nice wine, not exceptional, due to less complexity and depth relative to the more mind-blowing wines.
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Smooth, refined, and subdued, but did not reveal any appreciable complexity or layering over a two hour drinking window (following a 1.5 hour decant). Curiously little bouquet or nose. Smooth and silky tannins, and nice undertones of earth, leather, tobacco, and chocolate. Not a fruit forward or "tasty" wine. A good, if not too restrained, wine. In typical Don Melchor fashion, nowhere near a barn burner. Further time in the cellar might (or might not) help. Definitely not a great QPR wine given its relatively high price. For $90-100 a bottle, there are many other better choices.
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Much better than last bottle this time last year. First impression was as smooth as silk. Blueberry, dark cherry. Chocolate, tobacco and pepper with cedar and cigar box. Long aftertaste. Tannins still very noticeable but not disturbing. Very nice paired and a strip steak.
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It was extremely good - one of the best wines I've had. Started off with pepper, rosemary, and maybe granite flavors. After a opening up, it had a very cherry front end with something like a rich tobacco(?) finish. It really changed depending on whether it followed steak or baked potato, but very good either way. Consumed over several hours.
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Dark plum, fresh cherry, cassis, with a little menthol. Plenty of acid and tannin right now. This wine is a baby, and will be really good in 2-3 years.
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Dark cherry, plum and blackberry flavors along with cedar, tobacco, cocoa and pleasing acidity and tannins. Beautifully balanced and well-integrated wine considering its relatively young age. I will be purchasing more. 92+
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Pungent, almost skunky nose at first. Mellowed and softened as it opened up. Nice balanced fruit profile with spice and vanilla aspects. Mid-weight mouth feel, tannins that suggest potential with some time.
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Deep opaque eggplant color with a translucent rim. A little musty on the nose with earth, leather and blackberries. Taste is more fruit driven but with some earthiness on the mid-palate, and some residual notes of cocoa and cigar box. High acidity (a little too high) and medium tannins. Medium plus body. Built for the long haul. About 92 for now.
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As good as '11 and '12 that I had earlier this year except that this vintage is much younger and more tannic. Give it a couple more years it may exceed it's two predecessors.
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Very good wine. Nice ruby color. Aromas of leather, tobacco, herbs and some veggies and earthy. In palate is soft with nice tannins and medium body with long finish.
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Surprisingly soft and round, light on depth, flavor, and complexity. Not a good showing, not a good QPR. 96 points from WS. I will open a Terrunyo '15 soon, bet I love it.
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Nice aromatics on the nose with fig jam and black fruits. I think the acidity is fairly high at this stage and may benefit from a couple of years of aging or aeration if you drink now. But nonetheless it is a rich but balanced expression of Cab.
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New releases from Chile and Australia: Rich purple color. The aromas show rich tobacco, pepper, scorched earth, grilled herbs, on top of tangy black currants, dark plums, cocoa and cedar. Full-bodied on the palate with serious grip on the tannins but vibrant acidity, the balance is impressive for a wine this young. Crunchy plums, black currant, rich but fresh fruit laced with complex earth, pepper, chewing tobacco, mint, charcoal, tar, coffee. Wonderful depth and balance with a long finish full of graphite and minerals. So young, with many years ahead, but classic Don Melchor stuff, an excellent vintage of this wine. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
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A wine already approachable. Fruit can be a bit overwhelming. Polished and round tannins. A bit sweet, medium acidity. Not sure how it will evolve And enjoyable wine, not very complex. I agree that much better wines are available for this price range (even Napa!).
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Excellent Chilean cab, with good depth, intensity on the nose and palate, but lacking the complexity I liked in previous vintages (e.g. 2013). The price was increased by about 50% with this new vintage; although I understand the economics behind the economics behind the decision, I'm not sure the wine is delivering enough value at this price point. Unfortunately, this will probably be the last vintage of Don Melchor I will buy...there are many other options, far more affordable.
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Bu en succ....assez décevant pour un vin de 132$!!! Il était en carafe depuis le matin et je l`ai bu un peu avant le lunch. Nez sur le cassis, le rubber brulé et les poivrons. En bouche, terreux et mentholé, presque un gout de pastilles. Tannins un brin rapeux avec asséchement et acidité basse. Finale très longue et sur la chauffe. Jeune certes mais la même que le 2006 que j`ai en cave...2X plus cher!
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Expressive bouquet of ripe blackcurrant, bell pepper, dry herbs, savoury leather and earthy spices. Very elegant nose. Relaxed yet complex. A serious wine with a heart for enjoyment. Palate is rich and smooth, for such a young wine, with warm blue fruits and leathery mid-palate. The structure is on the smooth side with an equally ripe and velvety tannins. This wine is made to relax and enjoy slowly.
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3/23/2024 - AllRed wrote: 93 Points
4th Saturday Brown Bagger (J&L's): Double blind. Aromas of black fruit and sweet tobacco. Full-bodied. Flavors of black currants, loam and tobacco. Long finish.
This had been decanted for an hour and then allowed to breathe in bottle for another 2 before the flight was poured. (R&D)
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12/13/2023 - Bodyfxr wrote: 91 Points
Popped this by accident. Thought I was popping a 2007. Decanted for approximately an hour. Muted nose of plums and jam. Fruit forward on the palate. Well balanced and put together but not memorable. Nothing really negative here. A good, juicy cab but otherwise unremarkable. Drink or hold.
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4/21/2023 - EC_Merenda49 wrote:
Emailed to pick up at 4:30 4/21 AG
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4/7/2023 - EC_Brooks28 wrote:
Grill 4/7 AG
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2/13/2023 - lightning wrote:
Emirates First Class Lounges, Dubai; 2/13/2023-2/18/2023: Bright bubblegum, blackcurrant and capsicum. Medium to full bodied, slight ethanol taste, dark chocolate, liquorice, growling. Tannic. Needs time. New world style.
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1/1/2023 - TGOT Likes this wine: 94 Points
Vigorously decanted for 2 hours in advance. Pervasive, but approachable raisin flavor throughout. Well integrated tannins.
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1/1/2023 - chs2756 wrote: 85 Points
둘째날 노트
루비색 그라데이션 없는편 짙은색 풀바디
블랙베리 흑연 바닐라(오픈직후) 스파이스
알콜 중간 산도 중간 타닌 강함
산도와 타닌 밸런스가 좋고 묵직한 피니시가 10초 이상
오픈 첫날엔 직후 강한 산도 및 타닌
잔 브리딩 40분 이후부터는 쥬시함이 컸지만 산도와 타닌이 따로 느껴짐
에어레이터 사용시 타닌이 너무 부각됨(1시간 사용후 브리딩 필요)
둘째날에는 밸런스가 좋아서 쉽게 질리지않고 맛있었으며 산도가 받춰줌에 따라 전체적으로 균형이 좋았음 피니시에 타닌이 남아있어 음식이랑 같이 먹으면 좋을것같다
아직 시음적기가 아닌건지 브리딩이 부족했던것인지 모르겠으며, 다음에 영빈을 먹게되면 디캔터를 써야할듯함
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8/25/2022 - michigan66 Likes this wine: 93 Points
nice balanced and even on day 2 a perfect match with cheese and olives
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7/30/2022 - Mr.Loulou Likes this wine: 91 Points
Needed to breathe to fully show it's colors cassis tobaco not too long of a finish but quite descent oak i t in the end.
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2/23/2022 - mvande21 wrote: 93 Points
Ripe, fruit forward with red and black berries, cassis and plum. Lush, full bodied and smooth with soft tannins. Tilted too far to the fruit side to pair with the New York strip it accompanied. Better match is a charcuterie plate with good company.
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1/26/2022 - CondorKhan wrote: 94 Points
Pours dark purplish red. Powerful, generous aroma of blackberries, tobacco and a hint of bell pepper. On the palate, blackberries, leafy tobacco, licorice. Grew more complex with air time, with some dark plum fruit and cassis. Tannins are present but soft. Very classic, very classy. Open for business and drinking very well.
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11/7/2021 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 93 Points
Enjoyed this with our wine club and wow - the hit of the night! First time drinking this wine, Full body, wonderful finish, now I wish had more!!
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8/24/2021 - mrsl500 Does not like this wine: 90 Points
Disappointing. Not at all noteworthy in any way. Dud.
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5/5/2021 - alvinquah wrote: 88 Points
Bold ripe and jammy. Concentrated with dark fruit such as black berries, cherries and plum. Decanted overnight and tannin somewhere balanced with acidity and alcohol. Drawback is I felt the sugar level on the higher spectrum. I will spend my $ on other cabsav.
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4/24/2021 - brouigu1 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very enjoyable right now!
This will benefit from decanting but not totally required. The nose opens with notes of black fruits, chocolate, leather and a slight green pepper.
The palate is full of smooth and silky tannin and while full bodied it has a lushness in the mouth. Dark fruits, earthy elements, tobacco and a smooth finish with hints of green pepper.
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2/20/2021 - happy712 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ready to drink now, no decanting necessary. Wonderful fruit expression with hints of bell pepper and chocolate. Long, satisfying finish. Could be mistaken for a Bordeaux.
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12/31/2020 - CV Griz Fan Likes this wine: 95 Points
There was a nice pepper/herbal note on the nose. The taste profile has a lot of red fruit and fresh brewed coffee to it. This wine is smooth, lush and very well balanced. The tannins are very well integrated also. Very good....
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11/28/2020 - FoinZap Likes this wine: 92 Points
PnP. Dark purple to magenta at the edge. Nose is black fruit, paste, and oak. Palate is a bit brighter...more cherry, raspberry, iron, hint of graphite. Mid- to full-bodied, decent finish. Similar experience to last time...very nice wine, not exceptional, due to less complexity and depth relative to the more mind-blowing wines.
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11/12/2020 - tundraline Likes this wine: 89 Points
Smooth, refined, and subdued, but did not reveal any appreciable complexity or layering over a two hour drinking window (following a 1.5 hour decant). Curiously little bouquet or nose. Smooth and silky tannins, and nice undertones of earth, leather, tobacco, and chocolate. Not a fruit forward or "tasty" wine. A good, if not too restrained, wine. In typical Don Melchor fashion, nowhere near a barn burner. Further time in the cellar might (or might not) help. Definitely not a great QPR wine given its relatively high price. For $90-100 a bottle, there are many other better choices.
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9/11/2020 - FredericoWines Likes this wine: 93 Points
Much better than last bottle this time last year. First impression was as smooth as silk. Blueberry, dark cherry. Chocolate, tobacco and pepper with cedar and cigar box. Long aftertaste. Tannins still very noticeable but not disturbing. Very nice paired and a strip steak.
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8/28/2020 - RVC_Wine wrote: 92 Points
Dense and lush. Underbrush, cocoa, mint, raspberry on nose
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8/3/2020 - ralaspech wrote: 92 Points
Aromas of tobacco, green pepper and currant. Tastes of red currant and tobacco. Medium high acid. Medium tannins. Interesting balanced cabernet.
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7/9/2020 - ralaspech wrote: 92 Points
Bright cabernet fruit aromas and flavors with interesting notes of earth and tobacco. Firm acidity help make this a beautiful match with food. 92+
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5/8/2020 - TRodrigu70 wrote:
Graphite on the nose. Berry Jam and cassis on the palette long integrated and sweet finish. Ready to drink now but will do well for another 3-5 years.
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4/26/2020 - StagsAndBears Likes this wine: 95 Points
It was extremely good - one of the best wines I've had. Started off with pepper, rosemary, and maybe granite flavors. After a opening up, it had a very cherry front end with something like a rich tobacco(?) finish. It really changed depending on whether it followed steak or baked potato, but very good either way. Consumed over several hours.
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3/23/2020 - Rscholtz Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark plum, fresh cherry, cassis, with a little menthol. Plenty of acid and tannin right now. This wine is a baby, and will be really good in 2-3 years.
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2/4/2020 - ralaspech wrote: 92 Points
Dark cherry, plum and blackberry flavors along with cedar, tobacco, cocoa and pleasing acidity and tannins. Beautifully balanced and well-integrated wine considering its relatively young age. I will be purchasing more. 92+
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1/27/2020 - FoinZap Likes this wine: 92 Points
Pungent, almost skunky nose at first. Mellowed and softened as it opened up. Nice balanced fruit profile with spice and vanilla aspects. Mid-weight mouth feel, tannins that suggest potential with some time.
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1/24/2020 - RockyII Likes this wine: 92 Points
Deep opaque eggplant color with a translucent rim. A little musty on the nose with earth, leather and blackberries. Taste is more fruit driven but with some earthiness on the mid-palate, and some residual notes of cocoa and cigar box. High acidity (a little too high) and medium tannins. Medium plus body. Built for the long haul. About 92 for now.
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12/25/2019 - fredfta wrote: 93 Points
Desafio improvável entre o icônico Don Melchor e o sempre convincente Marquês de Casa Concha.
Mesmo produtor, mesma região, mesma casta (Cabernet Sauvignon), porém parcelas e vinificação diferentes e preços muitíssimo distantes.
Resultado da prova às cegas: dois votos para o Don Melchor e dois votos para o MCC.
Eu fui um dos que votou no Don Melchor, mas devo confessar que precisei pensar muito.
Sigamos bebendo, apanhando e humildemente aprendendo!
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12/25/2019 - ewohmot wrote: 93 Points
Smooth, Dark Cherry, long finish.
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9/19/2019 - FredericoWines wrote: 92 Points
As good as '11 and '12 that I had earlier this year except that this vintage is much younger and more tannic. Give it a couple more years it may exceed it's two predecessors.
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7/22/2019 - Amingutz Likes this wine: 92 Points
Very good wine. Nice ruby color. Aromas of leather, tobacco, herbs and some veggies and earthy. In palate is soft with nice tannins and medium body with long finish.
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5/6/2019 - esw423 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Sample tasting at 2019 Philly Mag Wine Festival.
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3/24/2019 - wineotim wrote:
Surprisingly soft and round, light on depth, flavor, and complexity. Not a good showing, not a good QPR. 96 points from WS. I will open a Terrunyo '15 soon, bet I love it.
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12/22/2018 - GlenviewGSW Likes this wine: 93 Points
Nice aromatics on the nose with fig jam and black fruits. I think the acidity is fairly high at this stage and may benefit from a couple of years of aging or aeration if you drink now. But nonetheless it is a rich but balanced expression of Cab.
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10/24/2018 - isaacjamesbaker wrote: 94 Points
New releases from Chile and Australia: Rich purple color. The aromas show rich tobacco, pepper, scorched earth, grilled herbs, on top of tangy black currants, dark plums, cocoa and cedar. Full-bodied on the palate with serious grip on the tannins but vibrant acidity, the balance is impressive for a wine this young. Crunchy plums, black currant, rich but fresh fruit laced with complex earth, pepper, chewing tobacco, mint, charcoal, tar, coffee. Wonderful depth and balance with a long finish full of graphite and minerals. So young, with many years ahead, but classic Don Melchor stuff, an excellent vintage of this wine. 92% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot.
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10/13/2018 - Marcosuru wrote: 93 Points
A wine already approachable.
Fruit can be a bit overwhelming. Polished and round tannins. A bit sweet, medium acidity. Not sure how it will evolve
And enjoyable wine, not very complex. I agree that much better wines are available for this price range (even Napa!).
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10/4/2018 - Francois Le Mouel Likes this wine: 92 Points
Excellent Chilean cab, with good depth, intensity on the nose and palate, but lacking the complexity I liked in previous vintages (e.g. 2013). The price was increased by about 50% with this new vintage; although I understand the economics behind the economics behind the decision, I'm not sure the wine is delivering enough value at this price point. Unfortunately, this will probably be the last vintage of Don Melchor I will buy...there are many other options, far more affordable.
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8/8/2018 - maxima wrote: 88 Points
Bu en succ....assez décevant pour un vin de 132$!!!
Il était en carafe depuis le matin et je l`ai bu un peu avant le lunch.
Nez sur le cassis, le rubber brulé et les poivrons.
En bouche, terreux et mentholé, presque un gout de pastilles.
Tannins un brin rapeux avec asséchement et acidité basse.
Finale très longue et sur la chauffe.
Jeune certes mais la même que le 2006 que j`ai en cave...2X plus cher!
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6/19/2018 - Psdycp wrote: 94 Points
Expressive bouquet of ripe blackcurrant, bell pepper, dry herbs, savoury leather and earthy spices. Very elegant nose. Relaxed yet complex. A serious wine with a heart for enjoyment. Palate is rich and smooth, for such a young wine, with warm blue fruits and leathery mid-palate. The structure is on the smooth side with an equally ripe and velvety tannins. This wine is made to relax and enjoy slowly.
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