Black fruits, licorice, tar, grilled herbs and smoke are some of the notes that flow from the 2008 Sumo. All of the elements are beautifully balanced in this powerful, intense red. The 2008 is 75% Petite Sirah, 20% Syrah and 5% Viognier. I can't wait to see where this goes with more bottle age. Anticipated maturity: 2012-2018. Helen Keplinger is the winemaker at Bryant, where she now also makes her own wines with her husband, Douglas. Keplinger credits the years she spent working in Priorat as shaping her philosophy on wine and life. These Rhone blends are made from hillside vineyards in Amador County, El Dorado County and Knights Valley. The wines are aged in French oak, 20-65% new, depending on the wine. Racking is kept to a bare minimum and the wines are neither fined nor filtered. Readers owe it to themselves to check out these pure, handcrafted wines. Tel. (707) 252-7417