(a five-variety Bordeaux blend based on 82% cabernet sauvignon): Good medium ruby. Wild aromas of crushed berries, lavender and chocolate complicated by pepper and leather; suggests a rather wide range of ripeness. Considerably denser and fatter than the '09 merlot, with a youthfully medicinal character to the plum, kirsch and chocolate flavors. Finishes with an herbal edge and very good persistence. Will this retain verve as it gains in texture with time in bottle?

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The 2009 Red Blend emerges from the glass with freshly cut flowers, mint, spices, minerals and pure, crystalline, dark red fruit. This is a gorgeous wine endowed with remarkable finesse. The style is weightless, elegant and totally refined. I especially like the way the wine fleshes out in the glass. The 2009 is 82% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Merlot, 7% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot and 1% Malbec.

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This Bordeaux-like expression offers a mix of cedar-laced tobacco, dried berry, loamy earth and herbal notes. Young and tightly wound, this unfolds slowly and gracefully, and looks like an ideal choice to lay down. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec.

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