Pale brick-red-tawny, with a golden-green-tinged amber rim; wonderfully effusive on the nose, with a delicate spicy lift and an aroma and flavor redolent of creamy Brazil nuts, mellifluous dried fruit, fresh and seamless all the way through to a long, oh so delicate, filigree finish.

Plump, juicy and forthright in feel, with a core that bursts with mulled dark cherry, dried peach and persimmon, bitter orange and date bread notes. Singed hazelnut and alder add underlying tension to the finish, which sports serious length and drive. —J.M.