RUSSIAN RIVER VALLEY | CALIFORNIA | $28
Concentrated blackberry fruit with purple plum, black currant, juniper berry and chalk, plus hints of cocoa and citrus pith. Full bodied with some jammy qualities; while not laden on the palate, there’s a satisfying density that, to great joy, belies its 14.1% alcohol. Nice complexity, balanced, smooth satiny texture with a barely present tooth. His girth might suggest sloth, but this fellow is agile, never lumbering. A very good wine. (Reviewed 12/30/12)