The color is a very nice dark purple, with nice legs indicating a high alcohol content. It says 16.2% on the label.
At first whiff, I smell only yeast. I think that comes from the screw top, as I’ve noticed that in the last few screw top wines that I’ve tasted right after opening them up.
I let it sit in the glass for a few minutes, and then I smelled intense and ripe dark fruit.
The flavor is a tart but also ripe. I taste blackberry, blueberry and a little strawberry. The taste curve is nicely balanced, especially the finish. There is a nice spiciness from the alcohol, which I also like. I think that the tartness indicates that I opened this one a couple of years before it was intended. That’s okay with me, because this is quite nice as it is.
Yum, just tasted this one (September 2007) the flavours have evolved since this last posting. I get tar, molasses and liquorice on the nose with a hint of rich dark fruits then more of the same on the palate. Very nice drinking now although it did benefit from being open a while before tasting.