Piccolo Cru 2007 Napa Valley

this red blend comes from paoletti vineyards in napa. the blend is 42% cabernet sauvignon, 38% malbec, 14% merlot, and 6% cabernet franc. the price is about $20. i don't know if this particular vintage is still available but bases on some research i did, other vintages will be a similar bordeaux blend. the nose is very big with the first aroma that i picked up being an inky, almost like a sharpie marker note. this is followed by black currant and black cherry, spice and some cedar. as the wine opened up i got some musty notes too. the palate had lots of fruit, with black raspberry and black cherry, some spice and some cedar. finished with black licorice flavors. tannins were pretty big at the start but began to soften some. this worked well with the leftover red meat and smashed potato dish we had from a couple nights ago. bold enough to stand up to other medium spiced dishes too. excellent red blend.