Shea Wine Cellars

I have little doubt that this wine will merit a higher score before much time has passed, but I try to score wines based on what they show now more than on guesswork of how they will develop. As it stands, this is a delicious but relatively simple wine, as sweet, primary fruit continues to be its predominant flavor, with touches of spice and enough tannin to frame the fruit. Odds are that the sweetness of the fruit will recede a bit and be replaced by savory tertiary notes from bottle aging, at which point my score will look low — possibly seriously low. The purity of fruit here is exceptional, and the texture very inviting, with enough acidity to provide freshness but with no excess tartness, and likewise enough tannin to shape the wine without drying its finish. Delicious now, but you would still be well advised to hold this for at least three years. 93 Michael Franz

I see the numbers “23” and I think “Michael Jordan.” This wine lives up to that comparison. This slam dunk begins with perfumed aromas of talc, vanilla, strawberries and a spicy hint of mace. Full, round-in-the-mouth flavors of candied red apples, cranberries and nutmeg are ably supported by velvety tannins and soft acidity.