2012 Gramercy Cellars/Waters Twenty One 21 Grams Red

(a joint venture between Waters Winery and Japanese artist/writer Makoto Fujimura): Ruby-red color. Sexy, glossy chocolatey oak along with blackberry, cassis, licorice and menthol on the nose. Plush, rich, savory and mouthfilling, offering a very suave texture but also a youthfully medicinal character to its dark berry, licorice and herb flavors. A note of violet lifts the middle palate and extends the finish of this large-scaled, ripe, very long wine. The serious but suave tannins are nicely supported by the wine's strong material. This may yet merit an even higher rating.