Montevetrano 2003, Campania, Italy

The 2003 Montevetrano is 60% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Merlot, and 10% Aglianico. (I have no idea what else has had Aglianico in it.) It's a deep, dark red, very opaque. It's nose is very earthy, plenty of graphite, burnt toast, dark fruits, cassis, blackberry jam. The mouthfeel is elegant, but with good structure, it's not a thick wine. The fruit is there, juicy, but not the most prominent feature. There's a bit of acidity, not a lot. The tannins are prominent on the finish, and somewhat bitter. The finish lasts a while. I like the wine, though I've become more a fan of spicy, unctuous, full body, juicy wines. The elegance comes across as a little thin to me at first, but it's very good. I've had it cellared for over a year, and it was about $90 as I recall, not sure I'd buy it again in the future. I opened it to honor the 10th anniversary of Open That Bottle Night. Thanks to the former WSJ wine editors, my wife and I enjoyed it while relaxing on an otherwise run-of-the-mill Saturday night.