Nice dark ruby red color. This is certainly a big boy, yet there is the distinctly Pinot floral/raspberry??? character. What surprised me was the nice savory notes on the very long finish-some fuzzy tannins, for sure. Main complaint: the wine is a little disjointed right at the moment, with a somewhat hollow middle, but the elements are here for a very nice wine in a year or so. I've enjoyed Tolosa before, and at $20 I would definitely buy a bottle of this wine! ***+
Another wine I tried was a very delicious Chianti Classico Riserva from a name I don't recognize and the 2003 vintage. Didn't make a note of the name
but I don't mind 2003 Chianti as much as I expected. Lacks acidity and is definitely a little heavy and rich, but the layers of flavors-cherry fruit, leather, tobacco, and savory goodness, make it still a very nice wine for $24 or so. I've had CCRs at twice the price that were slayed with vanilla oak that I did not enjoy nearly as much.