Clos Saint Julien Vintage:2015

Clos Saint Julien Vintage:2015(15% alcohol), Bright, full medium ruby. Extremely primary nose offers blackberry liqueur, licorice, bitter chocolate and minerals. Densely packed and tightly coiled, with a strong mineral underpinning and limestone lift to the flavors of blackberry, licorice and violet. More than half of this wine is cabernet franc and it shows in its penetrating minerality and serious tannic spine. I'd hold this for at least 5 or 6 years and then enjoy it over the

(from 11 different parcels totaling 1

earth and black cherry

ripe and well-layered nose combines notes of various dark berries with those of spice

building tannins

two parcels suffered some frost damage that needed to be carefully sorted out

Jonata's 630-case 2012 El Desafio de Jonata checks in as a blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon

perhaps just less of the orange blossom here but still utterly captivating

penetrating finish

silky and smooth in texture with beautifully poised red cherry and cranberry notes toward the finish

Animated and spicy wine with a riveting finish

cherry compote and floral pastille flavors firmed by a spine of juicy acidity

but the style of the wine did not thrill me