Robert Parker's Wine Advocate: 89 points

This impressive effort exhibits a thick-looking, ruby/purple color, as well as herb-tinged, peppery, earthy, black currant fruit intermixed with spice and foresty, loamy scents. In the mouth, the wine is slightly rustic, with medium to full body, outstanding concentration, good spice, and moderately astringent tannin in the long finish. This very good effort is approachable, but still requires several more years of cellaring; it should keep for 15 or more years.Tel. (707) 963-9099

Review date: August 1998