I opened this bottle of wine after a day of manual labor, moving into my new home. I wanted a simple, undemanding red and picked this off the rack. It was exactly what I wanted. Smooth and fruity, with a hot and spicy pepperiness. Easy to drink and satisfying. I corked and refrigerated the remainder of the bottle, which I drank over the next few days. This wine does very well at just over refrigerator temperature; serving it any warmer emphasizes the black pepper qualities and roughens the balance of the wine. This wine is a bargain, too. Keep some around for the next time you are moving. [March 2000]