Nose

A sweet and spicy nose of dark, ripe plum, blackberry pie and red
licorice balanced with leather and star anise bursts from the glass in this
wine.

Palate

The palate echoes the richness of the bouquet and surges with fresh cassis,
black cherry and brambly black fruit flavors, supported by a framework of lush tannins,
roasted espresso and dark cocoa. This tremendously well-balanced wine finishes
delicately with a velvety kiss of mint chocolate and toast.

Growing Conditions

With steadily mild temperatures throughout the
growing season, the 2009 vintage progressed very smoothly and the clusters ripened
evenly.

Harvest

The fruit for this wine was harvested mid-September through late October and
was thoroughly sorted

Winemaking

. Fermentation took place at a high temperature to ensure that
maximum extraction was achieved.

Aging

Racked to 60% new American
oak and 40% 1-3 year-old French oak barrels. The wine was aged in barrel for a total of 18
months before bottling.

Appearance

Deep garnet

Food Pairing

The wonderfully bountiful palate of this wine makes it a versatile and food
friendly choice for pairing. With a bit of spice accompanying the lush fruit, it would
make a perfect companion for a bowl of braised oxtail soup and a crunchy sourdough
baguette. Also, we recommend you try it with a semi-hard, mild cheese, such as Sao
Jorge or Fiscalini San Joaquin Gold.