This vintage explodes from the glass with dark, dense black fruits, blackberry liqueur, black pepper, road tar, fresh sage, almonds and toast. The black fruits dominate the palate, with expressive Herbes de Provençe notes from the Syrah and a layer of cassis along the mid-palate showing off the Cabernet Sauvignon component. A strong structure and long finish make this an ideal wine for medium-term cellaring. This wine is a great example of the 2008 vintage displaying finesse and elegance along with many enticing non-fruit characteristics that we sometimes associate with Old World wines.