Torbreck Wines > The Wines > Descendant

2007	(92% shiraz and 8% viognier) Inky ruby. Explosively perfumed nose displays scents of dark berry preserves, kirsch, sassafras, violet and black olive, with a suave vanilla undertone. Broad, chewy blackcurrant and mulberry flavors are framed by velvety tannins and energized by spicy mineral and cracked pepper notes. Juicy and sweet but solidly built, with strong finishing lift and urgency. Really hangs onto the palate, leaving floral and spice notes behind.
2006	92% Shiraz and 8% Viognier. Inky violet. Powerfully scented, brooding aromas of boysenberry, cherry compote, licorice and smoky minerals; aeration brings up brighter black raspberry and blackberry qualities, which carry onto the palate. Broad and deeply concentrated, presenting a seductive array of sweet dark berry liqueur flavors and a late jolt of tangy minerals. Clings tenaciously to the palate and finishes with lingering blackberry and candied plum flavors. This really deserves some patience.
2005	Bright purple. Intensely spicy aromas of black raspberry, cherry, cocoa powder and Asian spices. Inky and youthfully brooding, with powerful dark berry liqueur flavors, velvety tannins and a building impression of graphite. Tightens with air but not at the expense of its wonderfully lush, deeply concentrated fruit and sexy spices.
2004	Deep ruby. Primary aromas of berry skin, violet, freshly roasted coffee, high-fat chocolate and cinnamon. Very fresh in the mouth, with dense but tangy flavors of cassis, blueberry, mocha and fruitcake. Impressively concentrated and focused wine. With air, this deepened in flavor but gave up nothing in finesse. Finishes sweet and quite long, with an exotic chocolate note and bright acids.
2002	Roasted black cherry syrup on the nose, along with an exotic hint of apricot from the viognier. Sappy and fruit-driven, with liqueur-like flavors of black cherry and black raspberry. Densely packed and sweet. Finishes with substantial ripe tannins that turned a bit dry with aeration.
2001	Full red-ruby color. Fragrant, wild and exotic, with distinctive viognier-scented aromas of apricot and peach blossom over spicy white pepper, cassis and raspberry. Silky, velvety and long, bursting with briary black fruits. Its sumptuous and fleshy mid-palate culminates in a lingering, savory, earthy finish of concentration and balance.
2000	Full purple-red color. A floral viognier quality enhances perfumed aromas of raspberry, red cherry, cassis, musky tea-tin, clove and cinnamon. Purists might well object to its reductive qualities and rusticity. Smooth, nutty and creamy in the mouth, with a distinct leathery aspect. Finishes with a slightly soapy mouth feel, silky tannins and moderate length.
1999	Bright deep ruby to the rim. Knockout nose combines blackberry, violet, bitter chocolate, orange peel, leather, graphite and exotic spices, plus light vegetal and animal nuances. A wine of great thrust and flavor intensity; black fruit, bitter chocolate and spice flavors dance on the palate. Finishes with terrific grip and persistence, and a late hint of dried herbs. A bit cooler than the '98, and better for it.
1998	Medium ruby. Jammy dark berries, toasty oak and a hint of grapefruit on the nose; ripe-verging-on-raisiny. Superripe and superconcentrated, with almost painful intensity of flavor and great liqueur-like sweetness. Very thick but not over the top. Finishes very long and youthful, with lush tannins and palate-staining fruit.

Descendant - Steven Tanzer (IWC)