2008 Ravenswood Icon Mixed Blacks

Bright purple. Exotic black fruits, licorice and spicecake on the nose. Rich and sweet in the mouth, with almost lush but firm-edged flavors of dark berry preserves and bitter chocolate. Finishes with big, pliant tannins that add shape to the sweet, juicy fruit. This should easily repay six years or so of patience. Peterson joked that "this is the once and future wine of California" since people have started to get over their obsession with single varieties and are now more open to the benefits of blending.