1998 La Carraia Fobiano

Rich and jammy, with chocolate, plum and smoky aromas. Full-bodied, with soft tannins and a chocolaty, berry aftertaste. Somewhat flabby, but delicious. Best after 2001. 2,330 cases made

Author: James Suckling

The outstanding 1998 Fobiano is a blend of 70% Merlot and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon, aged in new French oak casks, and bottled with neither fining nor filtration. A dense opaque purple color is accompanied by notes of new saddle leather, blackberry liqueur, smoke, and licorice. An opulently-textured wine with medium to full body, a chewy, lush mid-palate, and outstanding purity and ripeness, it can be drunk now as well as over the next decade.

Author: Robert Parker