This deep and purple colored wine shows aromas of brambly black raspberry, vanilla, smoke, hints of herb, chocolate, coconut, and perhaps just a touch of anise. Immediately what is very present on this wine is the oak characters and the obvious presence of American wood. I didn't even have to look at the tech data to know that this wine was aged at least partially in American oak barrels. It's that coconut and slightly herbal-dill component that is always so noticeable.
On the palate the wine has a tangy berry flavor that combines with notes of pomegranate, cranberry sauce, spice, and a huge wallop of oak. This wine is well oaked and on the finish it is extremely hot. The alcohol sits at 16.3% and it is very noticeable on the finish.
This wine is really just not my style and it's a bit disappointing because I'm used to a better quality wine from Dry Creek. Too much wood and too much alcohol make this wine very disjointed. 75 points
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