Dark ruby with wide clear edges.  Big woodsy nose packed with licorice and mint showing incredible briar and an inescapable minerality.  Very generous oak.  Maybe a touch of oxidation giving it an impression of age contrary to the vintage on the label but nothing terribly concerning.  In the mouth, a huge bright, elegant sweet cherry and stunning acidity layered against more base dungy barnyard and broken-stem briar.  Clean, perfect balance.  No watery middle–the whole package is seamlessly ripe front-to-back.  You can’t help thinking it is the Cab portion structuring this thing up against the almost too-ripe GSM mainstay.  Or the Carignane.  Clean and seamless into the peppery but velvet tannin.  An outstanding blend.  I am very impressed.  Available BTG or bottle at Comfort Market in Arroyo Grande at a PP hard to argue with for something this easy to drink and yet so complex.

2012 BIG BASIN Homestead Red Wine California 14.0

http://www.bigbasinvineyards.com