Gorgeous wine.  Pop and pour, this kept improving.  Still needs another ten to twelve years to maturity.  Ruby in color with slight brown hues, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, black cherries, black tea, and moist earth.  Full bodied.  On the palate, this is layered but tight.  Complex layers of earth, cherries and spice.  Light tannins.  Still has plenty of fruit and also oak to  integrate.  Long finish.  Delicious.  This should easily go another twenty to thirty years.  Drink on its own or with any fowl or hearty sea food.  This could easily work with a roast or

Splendid bottle consumed while still youthful but showing some maturity.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is great with cherries, macerated cherries, slight earthiness, just a hint of oak spice.  Medium to full bodied.  Layers of cherries, black cherries, funk and spice.  Light but present tannins.  Yes, some funk and oak but overall very clean.  Enough fruit to finish the job in another five years, but great now.  Long finish.  Contemplative on its own, this will work well with food as well.  Anything from roasted duck to Kung Pao Chicken.  This should easily go another f

This is labelled Blue Slate but there is also one available labelled as "Blauschiefer" which means Blue Slate.  Is this an export label?  Perhaps.  Ruby in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is tight but opens to chow cherries and baking spices.  On the palate, this has black cherry fruit with a hint of root beer.  Almost like a very, very elegant old style Sonoma Coast.  A nice depth and complexity despite its youth.  Moderate tannins.  Good finish.  This took a while to open and if serving now, give it a good decant.  This probably needs another five to seven years, to get close to

Garnet in color, mostly clear and bright.  The nose is tight but opens to show black cherry fruit with slight spice.  On the palate, this is ripe and bigger.  Tart cherry fruit with light tannins.  Nice finish.  This is drinking well now and should continue for seven to ten years.  This will work well with heavier sea food dishes.