(a 70/30 blend of cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc): Medium red. Explosive nose offers perfumed red cherry and rose petal scents that reminded me a bit of a Barolo. Then nicely vibrant in the mouth, with lovely floral lift and purity to the red fruit flavors. If the aromas are Barolo, then the texture is more Burgundy. Tightly wound but already displays lovely sweetness. At least as lively as the 2009: will it be as fine? Incidentally, Alan Viader noted that alcohol levels for these wines are now "down to the low 14s," as the estate is making better use of irrigation to minimize vine stress so that they can pick grapes with riper skins and seeds before the sugars get too high.

Professional content appears courtesy of Vinfolio