12.5 % alc./vol.; closed with a synthetic cork (which I'm not a fan of - I prefer solid natural cork or screw caps). Dark, but clear, garnet colour with typically strong saturation; not inky. Immediately recognizable Baco nose comprising sour brine and peppercorns, a bit of wild-grape/
riparia "weediness", tomato skin and red berries, as well as nice pencil-shavings oak. No torrefied aromas, though I was expecting some given the vintage. Tart/sour entry; lithe and light - surprising for 2005, which was a high-heat vintage: it could be that the vines were allowed to crop a bit more than average (I don't know). Not as dense as I expected; it is sour and light on the palate and tastes somewhat mass-produced. I rate it Double Shemp / Joe Besser.
Frankly, I prefer it in a simple tumbler with home-made pita pizza; I tried it this way and tried it separately in a stem, and it actually seemed to taste better from the tumbler.
