($275) Good full ruby. Currant, tobacco, cedar, mocha and sweet oak on the nose, with a suggestion of singed fruit. Rich, creamy and broad; this is almost too big for the mouth. The sweetness of fruit and minerality here are utterly compelling and the wine's perfectly integrated acidity gives it a near-perfect balance. Finishes with noble tannins and outstanding persistence. A beauty.

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Even more captivating than the 2005 Melbury, with extraordinary depth and palate presence is the dense ruby/purple-colored, full-bodied 2005 St. Eden. It possesses the bluer, blacker fruits that seem to come from this area of Pritchard Hill in addition to extraordinary notes of charcoal, acacia flowers, blueberry and blackberry liqueur. This seamlessly constructed 2005 is a sensational effort that is displaying even greater potential than I saw last year. It will drink beautifully for three decades.

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Intense and vibrant, with a tight core of spicy currant, black cherry and wild berry fruit shaded by toasty, creamy oak and ending with a nice focus on the core flavors.

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