($50) Inky ruby. A huge, room-filling bouquet of dark cherry, blackcurrant, candied violet and licorice offers enormous sex appeal and great clarity. Lush, inky and powerfully built, with impressively energetic dark berry and cherry compote flavors. Very fine tannins add support but this is almost too big for its pants. Lovely boysenberry and mulberry flavors are given focus by subtle minerality, with the finish showing outstanding focus and persistence. I was really struck by the mix of ripeness and freshness here.

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The 2005 Syrah Obsidian Vineyard is from Knight's Valley. This is steep hillside vineyard stuff with a dense, dark purple color, a phenomenally rich nose of brioche, acacia flowers, blackberry, and blueberry jam intermixed with some white chocolate and perhaps hints of fig and truffle. The wine is spicy, full-bodied, incredibly opulent, and thick, even unctuously textured, with great purity and richness. Moreover, the glycerin and viscosity cover up some huge tannins. This is an amazingly big, thick wine, but it still cascades over the palate like a waterfall. This wine should come into its own in several years and drink well for 10-15.

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Spicy, with savory, beefy pepper, sage and leather flavors that veer to dryness, ending with a loamy earthiness. Loads of tannins. Tasted twice, with consistent notes. 625 cases made.

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