I actually exclaimed at the first mouthful of this one.  Out loud.  Balsamic, cherries, and florals on the nose.  This deep, rich babe of a wine attacks the front palate with just the right balance of dark and red fruits, vanilla, and tobacco flavors.  It tastes rich and dark from the instant it touches your tongue.  Rich mineral, tobacco, and dried prune flavors blend with grassy and floral notes, as tannins come in with a spicy punch, leading to a mineraly dried-fruit finish.  It’s very likely that I’ll be upgrading this one to Stunning upon another tasting, but for now I’m going conservative with an impressive rating.  Did I mention it’s rich?

• Rating: Impressive
• Name: Barbazul
• Winery: Huerta de Albalá
• Region: Cadiz V.T.
• Country: Spain
• Varietals: Tintilla de Rota, Syrah, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon
• Price: 15 Euros
• Where to Buy: Zona d’Ombra, Barcelona, Spain