In 2016 you really didn’t need do the drying grape thing, they were already pretty ripe, but the “gimmick” at Foreign Affair is drying and this one saw “partial appassimento” (22% for 100 days) – spent 18 months in both French and American oak (40% new) and now sits at 14.9% alcohol … but thankfully that’s not the whole story. Lots of rich brooding tannins hit the mouth and linger on the finish, but take a few more sips and black cherry, blackberry and white smoke with mocha / chocolate, vanilla and even a touch of anise … There’s a sweet fruit middle with a dry silky finish as those tannins smooth out with air and time. Price: $39.95 - Rating: ****+