93-95 Points | International Wine Cellar , January/February 2011

Inky purple. An explosive, flamboyantly perfumed bouquet evokes creme de mure, cherry-cola, violet and cracked pepper, plus a hint of smokiness. Deeply pitched, unctuous flavors of dark fruits and candied flowers coat the palate and show an alluring seamless character. Intense, focused and impressively persistent on the finish, which echoes the sweet dark fruit and floral notes and leaves a subtle smoky note behind. Balthazar isn't quite sure if he'll bottle this wine, which is carrying a (high for the estate) 14.3% alcohol on its own.