I knew before I poured this wine into the decanter it was going to flow with a nice garnet color from some aging. The aroma of black tar and ripe raspberries hit me immediately, but after aerating a bit, it had some cherry notes with a strong herbal scent. Medium-bodied, it exhibited flavors of tar, tobacco, and sour cherries. Soft tannins and great structure characterized this wine’s feel in the mouth, and it had a nice, medium-lengthed finish. This wine paired very well with marinara and beef over penne. Later, a mild cigar (Macanudo Caviar Cafe) teased out the cherry flavor of the wine, effectively rendering the tar and tobacco flavors in the wine inert. Highly recommended for that Old World rustic character and the ease with which it pairs with marinara… the price ain’t bad either; $11.