Dark, vibrant red. Spice-accented raspberry, cherry cola and potpourri scents take on a smoky aspect as the wine opens up. Thanks to a core of juicy acidity, this wine conveys an impressive blend of power and delicacy to its sweet red and blue fruit, floral pastille and spicecake flavors. Fine-grained tannins come in late on the finish, which hangs on with strong, red-fruit- and floral-tinged persistence (JR).