2018 The Farm The Big Game

A juicy and well-poised blend of 66% cabernet sauvignon, 27% syrah, 5% malbec and 2% petit verdot, showing crunchy berries, cassis and some dark plums. Hints of olives and currant leaves, too. Pretty fluid and linear with ripe, extensive tannins that linger with a long finish. Delicious and well-drinkable now, but will hold, too.

Smoky black fruits, peppery herbs, graphite, and tobacco are just some of the notes in the 2018 The Big Game, which is based on 66% Cabernet, 27% Syrah, 5% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot. Nicely textured, medium to full-bodied, and mouth-filling, it shows the pure, elegant, nicely balanced style of the estate and should have 10-12 years of prime drinking.

Deep violet. Lively, spice- and smoke-tinged black and blue fruit and floral aromas are complemented by suggestions of vanilla and pipe tobacco. Sappy and energetic on the palate, offering bitter cherry and cassis flavors lifted and sharpened by a peppery nuance. Finishes long and supple, with repeating spiciness and smooth tannins that sneak in late. Aged for two-and-a-half years in new and used French oak barrels.