Medium to deep garnet in color, the 2002 Noon Eclipse contains 30% Langhorne Creek fruit from the “20 Rows” block. With evolving aromas of plum preserves, Christmas pudding, dark chocolate, espresso and licorice alongside nuances of earth and creme de cassis, this very big, rich and full-bodied wine offers plenty of dried fruit and spice flavor layers with just enough acid to refresh and a medium level of chewy tannins to frame. It finishes very long. Mature and drinking nicely now, it should cellar to 2017+. Importer: Ronnie Sanders, Vine Street Imports, Philadelphia, PA; www.vsimports.com

70% Grenache and 30% Shiraz, it absolutely needs to be decanted a few hours before drinking. (Straight out of the bottle it pulls that overpowering, cherry-and-alcohol trick that Grenache can play.) Once it settles down you’ll find black cherry fruit and some charcoal-toast accents, which persist through the finish. Not a tannic wine, but packs a whollop with New World flavor. ——D.T.(5/1/2004)—— 90