Made from a blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah and 12% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Chester Kidder begins with a dense and chewy nose, opening to concentrated black fruit and dark red fruit aromas with dusty black pepper and dried herbs that waft out of the glass with inky resinous purple flowers and lifting oak spices. Full-bodied, the wine is generous with a chewy mouthfeel and firm tannins that tighten on the mid-palate before lingering with a long, drawn-out finish. Leaving behind flavors of bitter dark chocolate, black spice, sticky currants and cassis, there is a lasting flavor of smoked blackberries that recline on the tongue. This is delicious stuff but keep it a couple more years in the wine cellar before opening. Patience will be rewarded.