Decanted, nice amount of sediment.  Garnet hue.  Aromas of chocolate, menthol, and ripe fruits on the somewhat restrained nose.  Full bodied.  Hedonistic to say the least, the palate was completely unrestrained, showing a wonderful array of flavor...blueberries, raspberries, butterscotch with a prominent taste of tobacco leaf plus hints of licorice as it developed in glass.  Soft, caressing tannins.  Finish lasted for more than half of a minute. 

The tobacco leaf was really interesting to taste in a fruit bomb type of wine such as this, it really added a complexity that sometimes lacks in this style of wine (gains a few points in my book for this). 

This was a great match to the NY Strips we made for dinner, everyone loved it.