With Shaun and James at Grand Cru.
Probably a 4.0, but simply not up to snuff for the price.

Off the bottle and into the glass: this was a light garnet, with light body. The wine was abysmal fresh: just flat, closed and thin on the nose with a tinge of funk. On the palette, high acidity, thin mouth feel.

As the wine breathed (in bottle and glass), it got markedly better around the hour mark. distinct nose of sweet strawberry and cherry candy. It really started getting very promising as the nose opened up. However, it continued to be incredibly unbalanced and just poor on the palate: very dry on the palette, mid- finish, mildly grippy tannins, thin body, short finish. There was this solid entire period when the palette wasn’t even close to how the nose presented.

Towards the end of the final glass (about 1.5 hrs), the structure of the body actually firmed up and got denser and richer, and was a great complement to a pizza with burrata and Parma ham. At this point, I actually found the wine to be muuuuch more pleasurable and enjoyable.

I loved the nose. But the wine’s development in the glass was super sub par, especially at that kinda price tag. Just, meh.