Achaval Ferrer, Finca Altamira Vintage:2005 A perfumed and ultra-pure nose

A perfumed and ultra-pure nose freely offers up its aromas of crushed pear

Shows excellent clarity and lift to the palate-staining blueberry

"The really old vines are planted east-west

This is not overly concentrated but the harmony of expression is impressive and I very much like the complex floral quality of the finale

the pale to medium ruby-purple colored 2018 Pinot Noir John Sebastiano Vineyard opens with a pow

Achaval Ferrer, Finca Altamira Vintage:2005 A perfumed and ultra-pure noseDeep ruby. Subdued black fruits, minerals and mocha on the nose. Broad, plush and very ripe but not overly sweet, offering highly complex flavors of candied fruit and exotic dried flowers. As sexy as this is today, it's also quite backward and in need of bottle aging. Both this wine and the Mirador bottling are from vines more than 40 years of age, and both should evolve positively over the next decade or more. Stephen Tanzer