2007 Viader V

(92% petit verdot with 8% cabernet franc-a blend much higher in petit verdot than the barrel sample presented to me a year ago) Good deep red. Fresh, new-oaky aroma of blackberry and licorice. Much more closed and medicinal than the flagship blend, but with a similar floral quality in the mouth. This is tougher and less expressive today but not at all heavy for all its breadth. Rather powerful acidity currently accentuates the wine's tannins, which coat the teeth. Finishes with a note of bitter chocolate. This actually boasts very good balance and depth for petit verdot but will require patience.

(69% petit verdot and 31% cabernet sauvignon) Good deep ruby. Musky blueberry aromas lifted by violet and orchid (the note of exotic flowers comes from the very ripe petit verdot component in 2007, says Delia Viader). Sweet, dense and lush, combining good inner-mouth perfume with serious underlying structure. Cocoa powder and spice flavors resound on the expanding finish, where sweet tannins dust the front teeth.