2003 Orion Syrah

(14.5% alcohol): Bright ruby-red. Brooding nose shows an almost port-like quality to its very ripe blackberry and nutty oak aromas. Large-scaled and sweet if still a bit youthfully monolithic, with spice and saline notes currently dominating underlying dark berry flavors. Big, broad wine with very well buffered tannins and a lingering note of sweet oak. I'd still give this another year or two in the cellar.