Bright violet in the glass, the 2020 8 Years in the Desert is the epitome of our style, the reason we are even here in the first place. As it’s being poured, the aromatics hit squarely on the nose with a perception of sweetness: pure brambly raspberry juice and blueberry preserves with a hint of white pepper and High Sierra forest floor. Yet, the perceived sweetness on the nose is just that, perceived, and doesn’t carry through to the palate. Lush and enveloping with a beam of acidity, notes of blackberry pie, plum and kirsch flourish. Ultra-round tannins and lingering raspberry, the wine finishes in slow-motion.