Dense bright ruby with thin purple edges.  No bricking at all.  A little sed from last weeks transport.  Big tree-root, fig Newton, muddy rubber boot explosion straight outa the glass–no air, no funk.  Settles down into a beautiful ultra-ripe boysenberry, mint and fresh bread.  There’s a strong weedy element originating from that “tree root” earthiness which is just heroin to me.  This particular style of briar has a fatness in the tail end–definitely attributable to polish–which turns the whole thing into this spicy roundness very difficult to argue with.  A vibrant alcohol keeps the bouquet balanced.  This was a back-bins find on a recent road-trip to Monterey at Monte Vista Wines & Spirits.  I almost left it, as my arms were full and checkbook strained, but at the last minute decided to take the risk.  Finds like this make taking chances a regular occurrence.  Considerably thinner in the mouth as the fruit fades.  Solid, one-dimensional acid grabs early and heads off toward mid-palate.  Fruit is just incredible.  Thin but rewarding at entry–with a certain Orange Crush patina, turning to considerably more sophistication and concentration until the soft tannins come into play and the two recede slowly into a perfect peppery finale.  If I were closer I would grab the other 4 or 5 left.  It definitely is drinking at near-perfect, capable of perhaps another 2 or 3 years of liquor-store provenance.  It needs to be rescued and drank!  Wines like this are just so fun.  14-0  ♦♦