94 Points | International Wine Cellar , September/October 2012

(100% syrah, from a single 1.8-hectare plot that reportedly yielded less than a pound of fruit per vine; malo in small, new French oak, then 30 months of aging in more new French barrels; 15.5% alcohol):  Inky purple.  Explosive aromas of candied black and blue fruits, cola, vanilla and smoky minerals, with a suave potpourri quality gaining power in the glass.  Sweet, sappy and expansive, offering palate-coating boysenberry and bitter cherry flavors nicely braced by juicy acidity.  Finishes with superb energy and length, leaving smoke, floral and sweet dark fruit notes behind.  Noted Australian winemaker Chris Ringland consults to this property, which is owned by the Juan Gil concern.