2009 Spring Mountain Elivette

(55% cabernet sauvignon, 22% cabernet franc, 12% petit verdot, 10% merlot and 1% malbec): Bright dark red. Musky currant, dark cherry and smoky oak on the nose; less exotic than the 2008. Then riper and sweeter in the mouth, with currant and salty mineral flavors complicated by nuances of chocolate, cedar, mint and mocha. Finishes dry in an Old World way, with a solid spine of dusty tannins. Still quite oaky but this has a fresh minerality and a silkiness that I didn't find in the 2008 release.