Pouring the wine into the glass, the deep red color sparkled. There were aromas of chocolate and earth. Red berry and vanilla flavors popped in the mouth and ended with a honey smooth, long, slight pepper finish. As the wine opened in the glass, it only brought more aromas and taste. Not a heavy wine, it was still full-bodied, well-balanced and wonderful to drink. We paired the wine with a simple meal of hearty minestrone soup and crusty rosemary olive oil bread.