Amazingly rich and seductive a towering wine with layers and layers of rich blackberry plum cherry and sweet spice flavors that cascade across a dense structure polished to a fare-thee-well so the flavors ring unopposed by tannins; the tannins are present but totally submerged in the flavors. The kind of wine you want to roll around in. Best from 2004 through 2012. 550 cases made. –HS

The full-bodied, rich 1999 Astralis Syrah exhibits a gamy, floral, creme de cassis, and camphor-scented bouquet. It tastes like a slightly more layered, concentrated version of the 1997, but it does not possess the power, richness, concentration, and potential complexity of either the 1996 or 1998. The 1999 is 4-5 years away from full maturity, but it appears capable of lasting at least two more decades.