An ambitious wine that explores new blending territory. Shows fine structure, with brisk acidity and smooth tannins framing ripe cherry fruit, bacon and sandalwood flavors. Lacks a certain finesse, but definitely a worthwhile venture by the winery, and a wine to watch. ——S.H.(5/1/2011)—— 88

This is a good wine, dry and balanced, with a rich tannic structure. It’s also very strongly flavored. The fruit detonates in the mouth, offering a flood of blackberries, black cherries, black raspberries and currants, with complex notes of unsweetened baker’s chocolate and peppery Provencal herbs and lavender. May calm down with a few years in the bottle.——S.H.(12/31/2009)—— 90

The winery first made this wine in 2005, with mixed results, but they learned their lessons with this interesting ’06. It’s soft, intricately layered and delicious, with cherry jam, licorice and mocha flavors that finish in a swirl of white pepper. This is surely a bottling to watch. ——S.H.(2/1/2009)—— 90

Marimar Torres frankly calls the planting of these 2 varieties in her estate vineyard, which had previously been to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay, experimental. Much work needs to be done to perfect them. The wine, as it stands, is dry and acidic and one-dimensional in cherry and currant fruit. It requires greater levels of complexity and nuance.——S.H.(8/1/2008)—— 85