89 Points | International Wine Cellar , January/February 2010

(a blend aged for 18 months in all new French barriques Bright, full ruby-red. Plum, licorice, woodsmoke and truffle on the nose, along with a raw pepper and fresh herb nuances. Cleanly made wine with a restrained sweetness and nicely integrated acidity. The berry fruit is complicated by currant leaf and peppery notes in a Medoc way. Doesn't quite deliver the personality promised by the nose, but this is a firm, suave and well-made wine with good persistence. Probably not a good bet for modernists, though.