2004 Viña Montes Alpha M Apalta Vineyard

(80% cabernet sauvignon, 10% cabernet franc and 5% each of merlot and petit verdot) Ruby-red. Exotic aromas of cassis, blackberry, incense and smoky minerals are admirably focused and expansive. Deep, velvety and sweet, with palate-staining dark berry liqueur flavors, supple tannins and a late-arriving licorice quality. Refuses to let up on the finish, eventually leaving behind sappy blackcurrant and floral pastilles.