($100; a 70/30 blend of syrah and merlot) Good deep ruby-red. Knockout wild nose combines black fruits, violet, mocha, bacon fat and game. Silky on entry, then less obviously sweet in the middle palate than the young 2006, with an insidious intensity to its smoked meat and mocha flavors. Finishes with building tannins. This is rich but in an awkward stage today.

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The most interesting blend is the co-fermented version of Syrah and Merlot, the Variation One. The 2005 Variation One exhibits musty, moss-ridden forest floor notes intermixed with pepper, earth, and black fruits. The wine is rich, extremely complex, but I have the feeling this is a love-it-or-leave-it type of wine, given its rather distinctive aromatics. It is pure in the mouth, with some slightly austere Bordeaux-like tannins, but good delineation. This wine needs 3-4 years of bottle age, and should drink well for 15 or more.

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Old school Napa Bordeaux blend. Reminds me of library filled with dust filled classics. Still has ways t go in terms of age. Had with Spanish food (paella) and it overwhelmed even that.