The 2015 No. 9 Cumulus Vineyard is off the charts gorgeous, just as it was from barrel last year. Tasted from bottle, the 2009 is a bit closed, but all the aromatic depth, soaring intensity and energy that it showed from barrel is there. Time in the glass brings out the wine's sensational pedigree. Dark cherry jam, mocha, grilled herbs and leather are some of the many notes that develop with time, but it is the wine's overall structure that truly elevates into the realm of the divine.

Composed of 45% Syrah, 22% Grenache, 16.8% Mourvèdre, 5% Touriga Nacional and 1.2% Viognier, the Next of Kin 2015 Cumulus Vineyard #9 was fermented using 42% whole clusters and the rest was destemmed. It was matured for 34 months in oak, 40% of which was new.

The 2015 No 9 Cumulus Vineyard continues to show brilliantly, with the more tight, focused, tannic style of the vintage. It doesn’t have the upfront sexiness of the 2016, but it’s incredibly balanced, deep, long, and complex. I loved it last year and wrote that it’s going to flirt with perfection in another handful of years, and I stand by those words.