Inky magenta. Intense black and blue fruit, floral botanical herb and spice qualities on the deeply perfumed, mineral-accented nose. Broad and fleshy but lively as well, offering palate-staining boysenberry, kirsch, candied violet, olive paste, chewing tobacco and exotic spice flavors that become livelier with air. Marries richness to energy with a deft hand and finishes with superb, spicy persistence, well-knit tannins and resonating mineral character. I consistently find this bottling to be among the best of this sprawling appellation. In fact, it's usually at or above the quality level of quite a few examples of Côte-Rôtie