Rating: 98 Points (Wine Spectator’s James Laube)

“Deep and rich on the nose with dark berries, mocha, black tea, cedar, and graphite. Ruby with the slightest garnet. Shows purity and muscle throughout the velvety mouthfeel, with black cherry in a band of sweet tannins. Energetic, with savory hints lining a finish that combines power and finesse with grace and elegance that only comes with time in a cellar. A well-rounded red that is ideal for gamy rich stews or long-simmered sauces.

Why is it called Blend 2? Here’s the insider’s bit, the original Bordeaux styled Blend 1 was shy on the Cabernet part so upping the Cabernet to 75% really made this wine sing. We thank Mark Topel for this wise decision that assured age-worthiness, this is a bombastically youthful, explosively delicious red.”