ultimately

a welcome sprinkling of cracked black pepper and an off-dry finish that feels long and persistent

Alcoholic fermentation is with indigenous yeasts with ML in barrel

Offering up aromas of lemon zest

detailed and mineral-inflected flavors offer fine depth before culminating in a mildly lean and linear finish that is presently on the austere side

Hermitage Vintage:2000 ultimatelyBright medium ruby. Cool, perfumed aromas of blackberry, bitter chocolate and mint. Intensely flavored, concentrated and firmly built, with bright acids lifting the berry, violet and licorice flavors. Quite youthfully unevolved but already displays impressive inner mouth perfume. Finishes with firm tannic spine. Stephen Tanzer