Mount Mary Quintet Cabernet Blend 2004 

A top-drawer Mount Mary red that would appear to contain significantly more merlot than its mere eleven percent. Its deep, dark and briary aromas of violets, cassis, blackberries, dark plums and plain chocolate reveal undertones of dried herbs and bramble. Beautifully controlled and contained, its silky and elegant palate conceals its ample power and strength beneath an exterior of spotlessly fresh, pure blackcurrant and dark cherry fruit, camera-shy oak and tannin so delicate and fine that its genuine impact could easily be ignored. Evenly ripened, it also reveals classic nuances of dried herbs. Jeremy Oliver