Michael Steinberger: Some heat coming out of the glass— no surprise, given the vintage. Pruney fruit on the nose, as well, along with some menthol and herb. But the wine tastes better than it smells. It is huge, of course, with jammy blackberry fruit, a big thwack of black pepper, and supersized tannins. But for whatever reason, it all seems to coalesce into quite a good wine; there is some Burlesque pleasure here. A- (18)