2015 Buty Winery Rediviva of the Stones

(the crop was very short owing to the mid-November frost in The Rocks in 2014, when temperatures descended to the single digits before the plants had shut down for the winter; in fact, this bottling was supplemented with purchased fruit from a neighboring vineyard Buty had worked with in the past; vinified with one-third whole clusters and aged in thick barrels and puncheons, none of them new): Bright ruby-red. Blueberry, blackberry, black tea, black pepper and spices on the nose, complicated by smoke and game nuances. Juicy, tightly wound and essentially fine-grained, with its dark berry and violet flavors accented by lively minerality and lifted by floral and spicy elements. A touch of Syrah funkiness contributes to the wine's appeal. (The Cabernet gives the violet character and the bit of Mourvèdre the iron, according to winemaker Chris Dowsett.) This fascinating, rich wine finishes suave and long, with fine-grained tannins, strong spiciness, a lingering pepper note and saline minerality. (14.6% alcohol)