The smashing bouquet features delightful notes of toasted wheat bread, oatmeal, black raisins, trail mix, roasted chestnuts, bacon fat, sweet butter, ruby Port and prunes. Entry is peppery, moderately sweet and smoky; midpalate features succulent tastes of dark chocolate-covered cherries and strawberries, honey and smoked nuts. Finishes elegantly and clean, with deft traces of smoke and cocoa.
96-100 points, Wine Enthusiast (Dec 2008)
Rich amber color. Aromas of salty caramelized roasted nuts, custard, dried tropical fruits, and cocoa with a silky dryish medium-to-full body and a rich melange of dried fruits and berries, dusty grain, gravel, honeycomb, and peppery spices. Impressively rich and satisfying.
95 points, Beverage Testing Institute (May 2011)