The NV Megas Oenos "Labyrinth - 9905" is a rather unusual wine, to say the least - a table wine solera, so noted even on the cork. It is a blend stored in foudre of the 1999 through 2005 vintages of Skouras' popular Megas Oenos bottling (hence the 99-05 where the vintage date would be). Arriving in a massive bottle, it seems to be gimmicky on the face of it, but it is a bit more than that. The solera was started in 2001 with the 1999 vintage for Skouras' Megas Oenos brand. It is the typical grape blend for the brand, from high altitude (700 meters) vineyards, 80% Agiorgitiko (from Ghymno Nemea, vines ranging from 31-67 years in age), the rest Cabernet Sauvignon (from Korinthia, 35-year-old vines). How you react to this bottle depends in part on how you like older wines. Just looking at it and then smelling it lets you know it has a lot of mature fruit in it. There are tertiary aromas, which follow through on the palate, a little forest floor and earthiness. It is surprisingly tight, considering that the youngest vintage included is the 2005. As with most of Skouras' wines, it is bright and light, with little mid-palate depth or concentration, but notable acidity and a certain sour cherry note, which cuts the wine's earthier nuances. This is interesting and it rather grew on me. I began to appreciate the combination of complexity and intensity. It probably won't be everyone's cup of tea. Drink now-2015. Importer: Diamond Importers, Chicago, IL; tel. (773) 549-6211

Smoked sausage, red currant and spice on the nose are followed by a rustic beefy, allspice quality on the palate. Black pepper, cedar and smoke mingle in an overall elegant but assertive medium-bodied red. A dry finish tops it off. ——S.K.(6/1/2011)—— 88