For a wine with high-end designs, this has a few issues, namely a pinched, leathery bouquet and then an herbal essence to both the palate and finish. But seeing that it’s 55% Carmenere and 45% Syrah, that makes sense. What’s best about Vertice is the solid mouthfeel and the way it avoids being jammy or overly sweet and candied.——M.S.(9/1/2008)—— 87