This 2007 vintage started out beautifully on the vines. I could have sworn it was going to be a 2 1⁄2 ton per acre crop. To my chagrin, it picked out closer to 1 1⁄2 tons per acre. While the Grand Cuvee did behave like a problem child on the vines, it started off big in the cellar and sort of stayed that way; nothing freaky. I guess if anything, it slendered down a bit. I mean, it's certainly not a super dark wine. But man is it rich. It's like you look at it, then you taste it, then you look back at it as you say, "How's all that flavor coming out of that wine?" It has abundant cherry fruit with lots of spice, and the sweet oak that you expect in a reserve wine, all beauti- fully proportioned.