Opaque purple. Powerful, expansive aromas of black and blue fruit preserves, vanillin oak and incense, with a spicy quality adding lift. Lush blueberry and cassis flavors show an exotic floral touch and alluring sweetness, with gentle acidity providing shape. Closes smooth and very long, with supple tannins building slowly and folding into the dense fruit. I find this sexy wine quite approachable already.
Bright gold. Heady citrus fruit and melon aromas are complemented by gingery spice and leesy notes that gain power with air. Fleshy and deeply pitched, offering intense orange, peach and honeydew flavors given spine by juicy acidity. Bracingly bitter on the persistent finish, with resonating notes of melon and ginger.
Vivid ruby. Fresh dark berries and cherry-cola on the nose, with smoky spice and lavender notes adding complexity. Supple and broad on entry, then tighter in the mid-palate, offering bitter cherry and anise flavors and a touch of succulent herbs. Lingers with appealing sweetness, supple tannins and excellent nervy persistence.
Ruby-red. Oak-spiced red berry and blood orange aromas and flavors are complemented by succulent herb and floral nuances. Shows appealing sweetness and focus, with silky texture and a strong star anise quality. The floral note builds through the finish, which is given shape by supple, harmonious tannins that merge smoothly with the wine's intense fruit.
Vivid red. Cherry-cola, iron and sexy oak spices on the fragrant nose, with a minerally nuance building with air. Concentrated but lithe and precise, offering juicy dark berry and cherry compote flavors and a touch of exotic spices. The cola and mineral qualities come back on the finish, which shows excellent clarity and silky tannins.
Vivid ruby-red. Pungent aromas of cherry pit, vanilla and beet root are civilized by a suave floral nuance. Juicy and nervy on the palate, offering zesty redcurrant and bitter cherry flavors that gain sweetness with air. Closes tangy and long, with gentle tannins coming on late.
Bright ruby. Seductive bouquet of red and dark berries, rose, cocoa powder and smoky Indian spices. Vibrant black raspberry and candied cherry flavors are lifted by smoky minerals, becoming deeper and spicier with air. The impressively bright, focused finish features building tannins and a hint of star anise.
Vivid ruby-red. Powerful aromas of black raspberry, Indian spices, anise and violet are complemented by a smoky mineral quality. Fleshy, gently sweet red and dark berry flavors become more tangy with air and pick up an exotic floral pastille nuance. This weighty but lively pinot finishes with supple tannins, repeating spiciness and very good persistence.
Pale gold. Deeply pitched pit and orchard fruit scents are enlivened by smoky mineral and orange zest qualities and pick up a floral nuance with air. Sappy and slow to open, offering densely packed pear and nectarine flavors and a hint of ginger. Finishes long and pure, with resonating minerality and lingering honeysuckle and citrus pith notes.
Deep ruby. Aromas of blueberry, cassis, cola and smoky minerals, with vanilla and spice nuances. Supple and expansive, offering intense, deep dark berry and floral pastille flavors that put on weight with air.. A zesty mineral quality gives cut and lift to the finish, which is firmed by dusty tannins.
Deep ruby. High-pitched dark berry and floral scents are complemented by deeper-pitched notes of licorice and black cardamom. Sweet and expansive on the palate, offering spice-accented black and blue fruit flavors and a touch of bitter chocolate. A late jolt of minerality adds energy and finishing cut, with supple tannins lending shape.
Deep ruby. Savory, reticent aromas of cherry, dark chocolate and spices show more lift than the 2009. Firmly built and rather backward, with flavors of plum and black raspberry joined on the back by a hint of leather. Quite tannic.
Bright, deep ruby. Reticent aromas of blueberry, licorice and crushed herbs. Less sweet in the mouth than the 2011 Helena Montana, with strong spice and floral notes dominating the dark berry flavors. Tannins are a bit youthfully tough today.
Vivid ruby. Pungent aromas of dark berries, cherry pit and smoky minerals, with a hint of fresh herbs in the background. Juicy and precise, offering bitter cherry and black raspberry flavors that gain in sweetness and energy with air. Closes on a spicy note, with strong mineral cut and silky, slow-building tannins. This youthful pinot responds nicely to aeration.
Bright ruby. A highly perfumed bouquet evokes sappy red berries, Asian spices, herbs and potpourri, with a smoky mineral nuance emerging with aeration. Offers intense red berry and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter with air and pick up a rose pastille note. Clinging raspberry and vanilla qualities sweeten the finish, firmed by tangy acidity and dusty tannins.
Vivid ruby. Smoky dark berry and olive tapenade scents are lifted by zesty mineral and black pepper notes, with a floral nuance adding complexity. Silky and focused on the palate, offering spice-accented blackberry and bitter cherry flavors that become sweeter with air. The floral quality recurs on the persistent, smoky finish.
Bright gold. Exotic aromas of nectarine, sweet butter, violet and candied ginger, along with a zesty mineral overtone. Juicy and expansive on the palate, offering intense pit fruit and tangerine flavors and a sexy honeysuckle nuance. At once rich and lively, finishing with good cling and lingering florality.
Pale gold. Exotic aromas of tangerine, honey, vanilla and candied ginger, with a smoky top note. Plush, open-knit pit fruit and orange marmalade flavors are brightened by a touch of juicy acidity and provide good palate coverage. A mineral quality sneaks in on the finish, adding lift and vivacity.
Vivid red. Vibrant red berry and floral scents are complicated by a zesty mineral quality. Clean and precise on the palate, offering fresh red currant and strawberry flavors and a touch of blood orange. Fleshes out with air and finishes with excellent clarity and spicy persistence. In an understated, elegant style, offering plenty of upfront appeal.
Vivid red. Spicy raspberry and floral aromas are complicated by notes of Asian spices and cola. Silky red berry compote flavors gain weight with air and pack a solid punch, with tangy acidity adding lift and focus. Fine-grained tannins add shape to the long, spicy, floral finish, which leaves red fruit and spicecake notes behind.
Green-tinged yellow. Aromas of dried pear, white flowers and succulent herbs show very good depth and pick up a smoky quality with air. Fleshy, palate-staining orchard and citrus fruit flavors are enlivened by juicy acidity and a bitter quinine note. Smoothly combines vivacity and richness and finishes very long, with lingering florality and a touch of tarragon. All of this fruit was sourced from the Haarstad vineyard but that isn't indicated on the label.
Bright straw. Complex citrus and orchard fruit aromas show very good clarity and verve. Fleshy but dry, with a zesty mineral edge to its pink grapefruit and bitter pear skin flavors. The mineral quality adds cut and lift to the incisive finish, which is uncompromisingly dry, in the best way, and very long. I'd love to show this wine to a Loire Valley wine fanatic who thinks that New World sauvignon blancs lack nerve.
Ruby-red. Black raspberry, cherry compote and musky beetroot on the nose. Densely packed but surprisingly lively in the mouth, offering juicy dark berry and rose pastille flavors sharpened by juicy acidity. Shows very good depth and power, with dusty tannins building and adding structure and finishing grip.
Vivid red. Deeply pitched cherry and dark berries scents, with subtle floral and peppery spice notes adding lift. Broad and fleshy on the palate, offering bitter cherry and black raspberry flavors and a touch of licorice. In a plush, weighty style, finishing with strong punch and smooth, slow-building tannins.
Deep red. High-pitched red berry and rose scents are complicated by suggestions of musky herbs and minerals. Juicy, tightly focused raspberry and bitter cherry flavor become fleshier with air and pick up a smoky nuance. Shows good breadth and thrust on the lengthy finish, which features fine-grained tannins and sweet touch of cola.