Roth’s winemaker is Henry de Lambert. The grapes are fermented in stainless steel and aged for 14 months in a mix of 50% French and 50% American oak, with 10% new. As a result, there’s a noticeable dose of barrel tannin that brings grip to the palate, along with tobacco and cedarwood notes. Cherry and plum fruit follow, joined by leather spice, cassis, and a touch of cocoa powder on the finish. This wine needs some time in bottle for the tannins to integrate more fully; once they do, the fruit should shine through more clearly.