Writing after about 2 hours of decant time. I recently bought two with a Binny’s coupon and forgot that I ordered three from another LWS. We were ordering pizza tonight, so with “bonus bottles”, I decided to give one an early try.
Pretty medium/dark color. Nose of ripe cherries, baking spice, leather and damp soil. A hint of menthol, too. Medium + on the weight/mouthfeel. The tannins are quite prominent (obviously) but not harsh, and the acid is also in balance. A mix of dark/ripe and tart cherry is the dominant fruit flavor, which is all up front. At this point, it’s much more accessible with food than without, and shows more fruit that way. On its own you get more tannin and it dries out quickly. Clearly an excellent wine with it’s best days ahead. I think the WS 97 might be a stretch, but admittedly my Chianti experience isn’t very deep. That said I’m glad I have four more to cellar.
