Much different than Pago Del Ama’s sensational 2005 blend called Coleccion. This is varietal Syrah with piercing acidity and a narrow scope. Hence it’s a tight-as-nails wine that isn’t offering much texture, complexity or finish. That may change with aging, but the bet here is that it will always rest on a certain sharp redness packed into a tight space.——M.S.(11/15/2008)—— 87

Considered by some to be the greatest Syrah made in Spain, the proprietor of one of that country’s finest restaurants, Adolfo Munoz, of the restaurant Adolfo in Toledo, produces this extraordinarily rich, intense effort. A black/purple color is accompanied by tantalizing aromas of lead pencil shavings, creme de cassis, pepper, white chocolate, and blackberries. This heady, intoxicating Syrah boasts abundant quantities of flavor as well as body. Drink it over the next 7-10 years. Importer: Eric Solomon, European Cellars, Charlotte, NC; tel. (704) 358-1565