Offers a range of ripe dark berry, cassis, mocha, roasted herb and gravelly earth flavors that veer toward the dry side. Requires patience, as the tannins are big and assertive. (JL)

With just a touch of Merlot in the blend, this juicy, big-boned red tastes of tar, blackberry and cedar, with a suggestion of mossy wood. Integrated in terms of oak and tannin, its highlights include cherry and vanilla among a straightforward complexity of texture that finishes mildly. (VB)