This wine’s black core is nuanced with brick toward the rim. The nose is fragrant and exotic, with a strong eucalyptus influence hovering over the blackberry jelly aroma. Anise and sweet spice flavors follow on the palate along with a mouthcoating viscosity and grippy, lightly astringent tannins. A strong earthiness accompanies the taste from start to finish. This is for Old World wine lovers who don’t mind a bit of funk drink before 2016.

— Published (6/16/2014)