es

Dark in color and dense on the nose, this has aromas of pastry, blackberry, jammy plum and even an exotic note. It feels chewy and solid, with a full-bodied texture and deep flavors of black cherry and prune. It comes up a bit short and clipped on the finish.

fr

Haute-Serre is high on the plateau above the Lot river. It produces wines that are structured with complex tannins and an austere fruit character. This 2011 is in that mold. It has acidity as well as juicy black fruits, plus striated tannins that are in the process of being smoothed by the wood aging. Drink from 2018.

US

Turbo-charged fruit flavors, full body and an almost thick texture make this wine opulent and compelling. While technically dry, it has such ripe blackberry and boysenberry flavors that it tastes like a syrup, coating the sides of the mouth with fruit flavor and powering to a lingering finish.

it

Made with 85% Montepulciano and 15% Aglianico, this accessible wine opens with aromas of brooding dark fruit and baking spice. On the ripe, round palate, supple tannins balance mature black cherry, baked plum, cocoa and a hint of licorice. Enjoy soon.

fr

There is a rosé here struggling to get out. This wine has strawberry fruits combined with tannins in a way that does not work. Bordeaux Clairet lies between rosé and red in color and in taste.

es

A smoky, foxy, saucy opening leads to a medium-bodied palate that's more or less standard for Rioja. Blackberry, roasted plum and light oak flavors finish steady, a touch rustic and with a vanilla note.

it

Made from Sangiovese blended with 20% Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot, this opens with aromas of sawdust, oak, exotic spice and a whiff of black currant. The palate displays toasted oak, roasted coffee beans, menthol, ground black pepper and dried black cherries alongside grippy tannins that leave an astringent finish.

fr

94-96 Barrel sample. Lots of new wood here, maybe too dominant. But it is a stage, because the fruit weight is also there to give a wine of considerable complexity, dry and solid.

fr

Very minerally in character, this is taut and edgy, laced with acidity, citrus fruit and a tangy character. It's bright, crisp and so fresh.

US

Warm touches of lemon-laced chamomile tea, soft butter and a dollop of orange sherbert show on the nose of this intriguing and unique wine from the Sierra Madre Vineyard. There's a strong sense of baking soda-like alkalinity to the palate, laced through juicy lemon and tangerine flavors, pithy grip, slate minerality and a mouth-watering combo of acidity and salt.

US

Soft and slightly one-dimensional, this bears blackberry and cherry jam flavors enriched with smoky oak. There's a funky, Syrah-like bacon note, too. It's not likely to improve with age, so drink up.

US

Unripe vegetal flavors mar this Zinfandel. There's an asparagus note to the blackberries that interferes with your enjoyment.

fr

85–87. Barrel sample. This is a soft, simple wine. It has attractive, gentle fruits and some ripe tannins. Likely to age quickly.

US

Superextracted in jammy fruit, this Bordeaux blend has flavors of cherries, blackberries, licorice, mocha and peppery spices. It's very rich, and probably at its best now and for a couple of years.

fr

Full of bright yellow fruits, this is ripe, rounded and already delicious. Rich mango and peach flavors contribute an exotic edge to the more mineral texture. Drink now.

US

Soft and lightly oaky, this barrel-fermented wine has a lightly honeyed element, perhaps an indication of botrytis. The wine should be consumed young, as it is already showing signs of age in both color and mouthfeel.

US

Beguiling in cedar, black cherry and black tea, this inviting Cab is made by consulting winemaker Aaron Pott with 2% Petit Verdot blended in, noticeable in its dark, inky color. The tannins are well-managed, present but softened, a taste of dark chocolate and coffee subtly hinted at through the finish.

it

Made with 70% Sangiovese, 15% Syrah and 15% Merlot, this opens with aromas of black currant, freshly cut grass and a whiff of thyme. The easygoing palates doles out juicy black cherry, clove and a hint of smoke set against smooth tannins. Enjoy soon.

US

A heavy, full-bodied commingling of cola and dark cherry, this offers bites of minty bay leaf along the way. This accent is welcome and yet risks getting overcome by the ripeness of fruit.

US

Nicely balanced and classically styled, this dry wine is cedary and spicy in aroma, and full of plum and red-cherry flavors shaded by light herbal, savory accents. Not very full-bodied, it has a trim, agile texture and appetizing fine-grained tannins.