Aromas of dried herbs, green olive, grilled asparagus and smoke lead to intensely concentrated savory flavors with a flat-out dazzling mouthfeel. It's a knockout that overloads the senses. (SS)

Dark, deep red. A tight core of raspberry on the nose, lifted by wild, high-toned notes of pepper, sassafras, herbs and ponzu sauce. Wonderfully sweet, intense and penetrating, conveying a complex balsamic quality and a meaty nuance to its intense raspberry and spice flavors. Superrich and utterly seamless Syrah, more red than black fruit in character. Finishes aromatic, salty and very long, with fine-grained tannins and superb lift. The fruit was harvested on October 2, but winemaker and owner Christophe Baron noted that the sugars were ahead of phenolic ripeness. (ST)

Lithe, focused, cohesive and distinctive, with licorice overtones around a core of plum and spice, finishing gracefully and with excellent persistence. (HS)