10-year-old little bargain-bin find from unsung Placer County opening with crazy bottle funk but blows off nicely with a little swirl into a smoky, tobacco-ridden, affair with blood orange fruit and gobs of nice things. Really nicely done: pithy and austere on the palate but with nice balance and not a spec tired. Not a bit slutty although nothing gob-stopping about it. Green, briary bitter finish and middle layered with great berry and acid. Not a bad wine at all.

2013 WESTWOOD FAMILY CELLARS ‘Benjamin’s Cuvee’ SY/GR 99/1 Placer Co. 14.0