Agency wine

The nose is boldly fruity, with spicy notes suggesting hibiscus, fennel, clove and oranges. In the mouth, expect deep, penetrating flavors of baked plums and wild blackberries intermingled with accents of licorice, orange and spice.

Serve a little cooler than room temperature: refrigerate the bottle for 10 minutes before serving.

Accompaniment to red meat, aged cheeses, stews, ragus, roasts and nearly any cut of red meat will provide the fat and flavor needed to stand up to the intense fruit of this powerful red. Excellent choices include steak with mushrooms or lamb with an herb pesto.