In the grand scheme of super-black, long-aging, often un-approachable, odd red varieties: Petite Sirah, Petit Verdot, Tannat, etc., everything starts coalescing at 10. This has a year to go, but the beauty is beginning to show. Dark blood-red in the glass, hints of brick showing at the rim, a nose calm and fruity, while still mired in chalky under-pinnings and deep vegetal spice. Bright, while still chunky and clunky, the *blackness* still in the fore-front and enjoyability only available to the geeks. This grape for me has always been one part zin and one part PS, but where those two are kinda *warmish*, this brings cold Blaufrankisch elements alive on the palate.

The mustiness of the bouquet of this one translates freely onto the tongue, where the funk goes straight acid in a fruit-chime difficult to place. Alive and bright and tangy, but oh so serious and concentrated, the depth of effortless spirit clamoring for attention below early-identifiers of thin elegance. Maraschino and bourbon claim an early stake on the fruit, but blueberry and blackberry take their toll. This is lovely and solid throughout, an easy drinker with gobs of gunk to be discovered if you look. Most won’t, but then I don’t review the wines *most* want. The finish an angular charade of sharp and supple: these are the bottles we file away in our memories and make the whole thing worth writing about.

2014 KENNETH VOLK Tannat Bella Collina Vyd Paso Robles 13.8

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