2014 William Knuttel D Rafanelli Vineyard Mary's Block Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 William Knuttel D. Rafanelli Vineyard Mary’s Block Cabernet Sauvignon

WILLIAM KNUTTEL 2014 William Knuttel D Rafanelli Vineyard Mary's Block Cabernet Sauvignon

CABERNET SAUVIGNON
D. RAFANELLI VINEYARD
2014 MARY’S BLOCK

 
When it comes to the most Iconic Cabernet Sauvignon and Zinfandel Vineyards in Sonoma County, the Rafanelli Vineyard in Dry Creek Valley is foremost.  Their wines are nearly impossible to acquire and are mailing list and restaurant only… What many people don’t know is that William Knuttel produces two Cabernets from Rafanelli Vineyard, so as you can imagine, we couldn’t wait to try them.  Their 2014 D. Rafanelli Mary’s Block is remarkably stunning, and it’s made in an elegant, long and expansive style that keeps you coming back for more.  At around $40, this makes my list of the best Cabernets in Sonoma County.
 
Proprietor William Knuttel isn’t a stranger to high-quality Sonoma County Cabernet.  He was the Vice President and winemaker at Chalk Hill from 1996 through 2003 and he was also winemaker at Dry Creek Vineyards through 2011.  The Mary’s Block produced minuscule yields of just 1.4 tons per are of intensely flavored, BB sized berries, and the resulting wine spent 19 months in oak.  In this realistic price category, this will compete favorably with the best Cabernets produced in Napa Valley and in fact, it did at the San Francisco Chronicle Wine Competition where it earned a Gold Medal.  You simply need to try it.  8 barrels produced.
 
WILLIAM KNUTTEL
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
D. RAFANELLI VINEYARD
2014 MARY’S BLOCK
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl 
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Winery Notes: “Mary’s 2014 Cabernet Sauvignon combines black cherry, ripe plum and blackberry fruit, spiced with brooding herbs. Oak and toast highlight and focus the ripe berry and cherry flavors, completely complementing the aromas. Hillside tannins are fully resolved, leading to a full, balanced and supple finish…”
Gold – 2018 SF Chronicle Wine Competition
 
Customers who enjoy William Knuttel Cabernet may also enjoy these two stunning Cabs…
2014 Humanitas Piscis Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2013 Kuleto Estate Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
HUMANITAS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2014 PISCIS VINEYARD
Retails at: $65.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl

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Tasting Notes: “....The nose has a sultry opulence with pungent berry intensity followed by blueberry tart, creme de cassis, hints of bay leaf, liquid mineral and sweetened dark chocolate.  The palate begins with penetrating, focused flavors of crushed blackberries and red currants, followed by secondary characteristics including wet stone, cigar box and vanilla spice.  For this price point, this wine is approaching perfection… I can’t remember having a wine that costs less and drinks better… Simply fabulous!”  97 Points
KULETO
2013 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
ESTATE, NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $60.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl

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From Wine Enthusiast:From the producer’s estate at over 1,000 feet in elevation, this seamlessly textured wine grabs one’s palate from the start and doesn’t let go. Huckleberry and cedar notes meet bay leaf accents and grippy tannins, all enveloped in smoky oak. It finishes with bright, fresh blackberry.”  92 Points
0217 Quivira Pillsbury Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

2017 Quivira Pillsbury Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

QUIVIRA 0217 Quivira Pillsbury Vineyard Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

2017 ZINFANDEL
PILLSBURY VINEYARD
DRY CREEK VALLEY

 
As much as I love a great California style Zinfandel that’s classically deep, jammy, and intensely flavored, there’s something refreshing about finding a pure expression of the varietal, with brilliant detail and stunning balance.  When I came across Quivira’s 2017 Pillsbury Zinfandel it reminded me just how much I love the Zinfandel grape.  Imagine a basket filled with fresh blueberries, wild plums, boysenberries, black cherries and mulberries and being able to taste each one simultaneously and with absolute clarity?  That’s exactly what you’ll find in a glass of this Zin… At $48 it’s an experience worth taking, but at $39.99, it’s a rush that you’ll want to experience over and over again…
 
Carved from the dry-farmed Pillsbury Vineyard in the Dry Creek Valley where winter rains are the sole source of irrigation.  You can see the crushed oyster shells scattered abundantly throughout the vineyard which are used to supplement the soils and strengthen the vines.  The wine was carefully guided from grape to bottle by Hugh Chappelle, former winemaker at Flowers, Lynmar and Charles Heintz to name a few…  We taste quite a few new Zinfandels every week and this is simply the best Zin that I’ve tasted this year.  Trust me… You’ll be glad you did.
 
QUIVIRA
2017 ZINFANDEL
PILLSBURY VINEYARD
DRY CREEK VALLEY
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
Your Price: $39.99/btl

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From Jeb Dunnuck: “… the 2017 Zinfandel Pillsbury Vineyard (100% Zinfandel) has a classic bouquet of plums, mulled currants, cedary spice, and incense. Elegant, medium to full-bodied, rounded, and fleshy on the palate, with good purity, it’s another beautiful Zinfandel from this estate.” 93 Points
 
Customers that enjoy Quivira Pillsbury Vineyard Zinfandel, may also enjoy these two terrific Zins…
2016 Gamba Family Ranches Zinfandel 2013 Valedez St Peter's Church Zinfandel
GAMBA
2016 ZINFANDEL
FAMILY RANCHES
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 
Winery Notes: “… a bold, well structured wine with an aromatic nose of ripe berries, brown spice, and black licorice. The color is a beautiful and vibrant dark crimson. The wine is deftly balanced, with flavors that burst on the palate, offering well defined dark cherry, raspberry and blueberry that give way to dark chocolate, spicy pepper and a hint of nutty oak. The frame is firm yet round without harsh edges, with an appealing, weighty, yet buoyant mid palate, and a refreshing lift on the lengthy, enjoyable, toasty finish.
VALDEZ
2013 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
 
Tasting Notes:This impeccably balanced zinfandel flaunts energizing flavors and aromas of ripe black cherries, concentrated pomegranate, and crushed blackberries with hints of white rose petals, cocoa powder and pipe tobacco. The perfect balance shines through with an amazing brightness that elegantly supports the richly focused flavors.  Simply stunning!”  94 Points
2013 Peterson Bradford Mountain Estate Zinfandel

2013 Peterson Bradford Mountain Estate Zinfandel

PETERSON 2013 Peterson Bradford Mountain Estate Zinfandel

2013 ESTATE ZINFANDEL
BRADFORD MOUNTAIN

 
Many of the best wines go well beyond flavors and aromas, and some can even evoke feelings of nostalgia, like when I tasted Fred Peterson’s wines.  They are a perfect example of a classic style that many would call traditional and non-interventional.  Fred calls it their zero manipulation style of winemaking, which just as it sounds, is the philosophy of doing as little as possible to the wine in the cellar, resulting in the in the best expression of the vineyard.  It’s rare to come across a New World winery with a steadfast approach to this winemaking approach, and to celebrate it, we thought we would offer the wine at a “historic” price to boot…
 
Zero manipulation winemaking always begins in the vineyard, and that’s why we picked the 2013 Bradford Mountain Estate Zinfandel.  Perched at 1,000 feet in elevation, overlooking Dry Creek Valley, the well-drained, red-clay soils produce exceptional fruit.  The 2013 has a sturdy frame and concentrated center core of fruit that opens up to classic mulberry, white pepper and hints of saddle leather and wild rose.  At this price, you simply can’t afford to miss this…
 
PETERSON
2013 ESTATE ZINFANDEL
BRADFORD MOUNTAIN
Retails at:  $38/btl
 

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Winery Notes:A rich blend of ripe dark berries with traces of toasty oak provides an inviting entry. The luscious mouthfeel releases layers of concentrated fruit-plum, deep blackberry and dark cherry-punctuated by hints of spice and pepper. The Bradford Mountain terroir influences are evident in the threads of minerality that weave through this opulent wine, adding to its depth and complexity.”
 
Customers who enjoy Peterson Estate Zinfandel may also enjoy these two outstanding Zins…
2016 Mauritson Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel 2014 Valdez Sonoma County Zinfadel
MAURITSON
2016 ZINFANDEL
DRY CREEK VALLEY
Retails at:  $39.00/btl
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

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Winery Notes:Perfumed aromas of black boysenberry cobbler with graham cracker crust waft from the glass. Hints of anise, fresh fig, and earthiness beautifully complement the fruit profile. The entry is full but inviting, exhibiting flavors of mocha, wet gravel, and black cherry. The mouthfeel is seamless from start to finish, indicative of perfectly integrated tannin and acid. Please enjoy this wine for the next 7-10 years.”
VALDEZ
2014 ZINFANDEL
SONOMA COUNTY
Retails at:  $30/btl
 

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Winery Notes:Aromas and flavors of juicy blackberries and currants are expressed in the 2014ValdezZinfandel. This wine has fresh acidity and light tannins that are in harmonious balance while hints of licorice and spice linger on the finish. Fruit for this wine is sourced from 3 different Sonoma County AVAs: Dry creek, Russian River Valley, and Alexander Valley.
2014 Enos Estate Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvingon

2014 Enos Estate Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

ENOS 2014 Enos Estate Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvingon

2014 ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
DRY CREEK VALLEY

We know that we’ve done our job when we introduce a wine that performs so far beyond its modest price level, that it immediately generates an avalanche of re-order requests that begin nearly simultaneous with the delivery notices. That’s exactly what happened when we offered Enos’s Knight’s Valley Cabernet in January, and the demand was so vast that there wasn’t nearly enough wine to satisfy it.  Fortunately the winery’s Estate Cabernet Sauvignon is even better, and comes from a 5 acre hillside vineyard in Sonoma County that’s perfectly suited for Bordeaux varietals.  At $60 this is a memorable Cabernet that delights even the most particular wine aficionado… It’s unfathomably great and competes with many of the best wines in the shop for greatest ever value wine.
 
Commanding a presence from one of the valley’s best vintages, one that the Wine Spectator describes as producing “dense, charming, cellar-worthy wines,” the 2014 vintage brought a fuller, richer and more structured wine.  When you taste it for the first time you’ll be shocked by the level of quality, which is amplified in all the right places… A 100% Cabernet Sauvignon that’s densely compact and opens up to a melody of pulverized berries laced with crushed granite, dried spices and mixed chocolates.  I recommend doubling up on the 2014 Estate… You’ll be glad you did…
 
ENOS
2014 ESTATE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
DRY CREEK VALLEY
Retails at:  $60/btl
 
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Tasting Notes: “This intriguing Cabernet begins with a compelling nose of black cherries, red currants and cocoa powder, followed by pipe tobacco, toasted hazelnuts and sweet vanilla spice.  On the palate, focused blackberry and chocolate covered cherries intertwine beautifully with a complex, earthy wet clay character along with slightly dusty tannins.  The finish is detailed, long and fresh, without be heavy or cloying. A delight to enjoy now and will age beautifully for a decade or so. Serious wine at a not-so-serious price…93+ Points
2016 Mauritson Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel

2016 Mauritson Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

MAURITSON 2016 Mauritson Dry Creek Vineyard Zinfandel

2016 ZINFANDEL
DRY CREEK VALLEY

 
When asked why I love Zinfandel so much, the answer is simple…  Although the grape allegedly originated in Croatia, Zinfandel thrives in California and nobody produces better Zin than California, period.  One of the best illustrations of classic California Zinfandel is Mauritson’s Dry Creek Valley.  With perfectly balanced, expressive, inviting fruit, the 2016 escapes from the glass with floral infused raspberry, black cherry, baking spices and incense.  With substantial vineyard holdings in Sonoma’s iconic Rockpile AVA, the Mauritson’s were influential in helping Rockpile become an AVA in 2002.  The family has been farming for more than 140 years, and at around forty bucks, their Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel completes with the best of the best… At $29.99/btl, it’s a steal…
 
A blend of Block 5, Rockpile Ridge, Madrone Spring and Cemetery vineyards, the 2016 perfectly expresses Dry Creek Valley terroir, emphasized by the gravelly nuance, firm tannins and a rich mouthfeel.  Peeling back layers of boysenberry, black raspberry and plum reveals wild flowers, truffle, and cracked pepper.  Our veteran tasting panel unanimously agreed that this wine drinks well beyond it’s modest price. Don’t wait too long to secure yours.
 
MAURITSON
2016 ZINFANDEL
DRY CREEK VALLEY
Retails at:  $39.00/btl
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl

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Winery Notes:Perfumed aromas of black boysenberry cobbler with graham cracker crust waft from the glass. Hints of anise, fresh fig, and earthiness beautifully complement the fruit profile. The entry is full but inviting, exhibiting flavors of mocha, wet gravel, and black cherry. The mouthfeel is seamless from start to finish, indicative of perfectly integrated tannin and acid. Please enjoy this wine for the next 7-10 years.”
 
Customers that enjoy Mauritson Zinfandel, may also enjoy these two terrific Zins…
2016 Gamba Family Ranches Zinfandel 2013 Valdez St Peter's Church Zinfandel
GAMBA
2016 ZINFANDEL
FAMILY RANCHES
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
Your Price: Insiders Club Members Only

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Winery Notes: “... a bold, well structured wine with an aromatic nose of ripe berries, brown spice, and black licorice. The color is a beautiful and vibrant dark crimson. The wine is deftly balanced, with flavors that burst on the palate, offering well defined dark cherry, raspberry and blueberry that give way to dark chocolate, spicy pepper and a hint of nutty oak. The frame is firm yet round without harsh edges, with an appealing, weighty, yet buoyant mid palate, and a refreshing lift on the lengthy, enjoyable, toasty finish.”
VALDEZ
2013 ZINFANDEL
ST. PETER’S CHURCH
Retails at:  $45.00/btl
 
Your Price: Insiders Club Members Only

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Tasting Notes:This impeccably balanced zinfandel flaunts energizing flavors and aromas of ripe black cherries, concentrated pomegranate, and crushed blackberries with hints of white rose petals, cocoa powder and pipe tobacco. The perfect balance shines through with an amazing brightness that elegantly supports the richly focused flavors.  Simply stunning!”  94 Points

2017 Armida Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel

ARMIDA

2017 ZINFANDEL
DRY CREEK VALLEY

 
One of my favorite attributes found in wines is a perceptible level of tension on the palate. Tension can highlight specific characteristics in a wine and contribute energy and complexity on the palate.  There are many winemaking tools and techniques that can be used to create it.  Utilizing multiple clones, varietals or vineyards can add tension. It can come from utilizing both younger and older vines, the use of different types of oak barrels or multiple fermentation methods.  Armida’s 2017 Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel shows tremendous tension and was created from a mix of 2/3 old and 1/3 younger vines.  They source from over a dozen vineyard sources Dry Creek, both hillside and valley floor and most of them are farmed by 4th and 5th generation farmers.
 
Immersed in exceptional vineyards, this classic Californian Zinfandel perfectly portrays the essence of Dry Creek Valley Zinfandel.  The winery ferments the grapes from each distinct vineyard separately before creating a masterful blend.  They also use a complex mix of American, Hungarian and French oak adding yet even more complexity.  At $23/btl, you simply can’t afford to miss this…
 
ARMIDA
2017 ZINFANDEL
DRY CREEK VALLEY
 
Your Price: $23/btl 
 
 
Winery Notes:Inky black with brash and seductive blackberry, plum, and smoky oak aromas. Bold, rich flavors of black-cherry jam, raspberry, cola, mocha and anise are wrapped in a warm blanket of vanilla spice and oak. A muscular yet balanced wine finishing long and sweet.
Zinfandel 90% | Petite Sirah 10%
 
 
Customers who enjoy Armida Dry Creek Zinfandel may also enjoy these two terrific Reds… 
2015 Westwood Legend Proprietary Red 2016 Prisoner Wine Co Saldo Zinfandel
WESTWOOD
2015 LEGEND
PROPRIETARY RED
Retails at:  $44.00/btl
 

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From Tasting Panel:… (25% Syrah, 25% Grenache, 25% Mourvèdre, 15% Zinfandel and 10% Tannat) … The perfume is primarily floral: gardenia, red rose petals – with accents on red plum and an echo of black pepper. The palate is a silk road with gritty chocolate tannins. But the ruby slippers that carry you down the path bursts with red plum, dark chocolate cherries, exotic jasmine and grilled meat with soy sauce. The finish is pleasurable with a creamy cedar note.”  95 Points
SALDO
2016 ZINFANDEL
PRISONER WINE CO.
Retails at:  $32.00/btl
 
Your Price: $27.99/btl

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Wonderfully alive on the palate, the 2016 expresses vibrant red fruit, crushed pepper, blueberry liqueur and cocoa dusted cherries. Winemaker Chrissy Wittmann is really showing her obvious talent in this remarkably balanced, yet full-bodied Zin, which arrives loaded with vibrancy and is layered with excitement.  A serious value, the retail price has remained nearly unchanged since their first vintage back in 2007.
2014 Arbor Bench Estate Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon

2014 Arbor Bench Dry Creek Valley Estate Cabernet Sauvignon

ARBOR BENCH

2014 Arbor Bench Estate Dry Creek Valley Cabernet Sauvignon2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
DRY CREEK VALLEY, ESTATE

Most people might think of world-class Zinfandel when they think of Dry Creek Valley, however there’s a lot more to love about California’s oldest AVA.  With roots going back more than 140 years, it’s among the longest in the New World.  The fertile landscape provides exceptional fruit to over 70 wineries, the majority of which are family owned.  And while the area might be best known for Zinfandel, there are pockets that produce exceptional Cabernet.  With an obvious difference in terroir and micro-climate, this Cabernet has a hedonistic mix of majestic fruits laced with savory undertones that makes it unique. Arbor Bench had our entire panel nodding our heads in approval, and at the winery’s $48 retail price it’s a solid bottle of Cab and you’ll want to stock your shelves for near and long term enjoyment.
 
This beautiful Cabernet is created by veteran winemaker Christopher Markell, whose nearly four decades of winemaking experience shines bright. Peaking from nearly two years in French oak and made from 100% Estate grown fruit, it saturates your taste buds in brilliantly expressive, yet supple flavors of Mountain berries, black chocolates, tobacco leaf and baking spices.  This wine is irresistible now, yet will age gracefully for another 7-8 years.  I highly recommend a case. 
 
ARBOR BENCH
2014 CABERNET SAUVIGNON
DRY CREEK VALLEY, ESTATE
Retails at:  $48.00/btl
 
 
 
From the Wine Enthusiast:Full bodied and fleshy, this 100% varietal wine offers polished tannin and toasty oak, the flavors lean and classically defined in pencil, cedar and soy. Notes of black pepper and tobacco etch themselves onto a lengthy finish.”  90 Points
 
Customers that would enjoy Arbor Bench Estate Cabernet Sauvignon may also enjoy these two stunning Cabs…
2015 Fortune 1621 Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2015 Sailor's Grave Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon
FORTUNE 1621
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 NAPA VALLEY
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl 

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Fortune 1621’s 2015 Napa Valley Cabernet reveals concentrated black fruits threaded together with crushed rock, espresso roast and violets, this absolutely classic Napa Cab was authored by Brian Mox, who spent several vintages at Lewis Cellars and he’s also the current winemaker at Laird.  The 2015 is marked by a dense, concentrated core that’s rarely found at this price… 
SAILOR’S GRAVE
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
2015 NAPA VALLEY
Retails at:  $40.00/btl
 
Your Price: $29.99/btl 

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The 2015 unfurls intense aromas of black raspberries, spring flowers, espresso roast, black chocolates.  Washing over the palate with dark berries, creme de cassis and camphor, deliciously governed by the wines voluptuous, rich texture.  Kept for 20 months in oak barrels, magnificent flavors cascade over your palate and tattoo a lasting impression in your mind…

Saldo 2016 Zinfandel Prisoner Wine Co.

SALDO
2016 ZINFANDEL
PRISONER WINE CO.
Translated from Spanish, the word Saldo means balance.  The 2016 Saldo not only balances fruit from several of California’s most renowned appellations, but it perfectly scales the focused, jammy fruit, aromatic spices and round, plush tannins.  Wonderfully alive on the palate, the 2016 expresses vibrant red fruit, crushed pepper, blueberry liqueur and cocoa dusted cherries. Winemaker Chrissy Wittmann is really showing her obvious talent in this remarkably balanced, yet full-bodied Zin, which arrives loaded with vibrancy and is layered with excitement.  A serious value, the retail price has remained nearly unchanged since their first vintage back in 2007.
Fantastic vineyards encompassing six different appellations, including fruit from famed sites like the famed Grist Vineyard in Dry Creek Valley which Turley uses in a single vineyard Zin. The 2016 Saldo provides another seamless example of California Zinfandel, thoughtfully underlining many of the best qualities from each carefully chosen vineyard and Appellation.  If you love a rich, full-bodied yet balanced California Zinfandel, here it is.
SALDO
2016 ZINFANDEL
PRISONER WINE CO.
Retails at:  $32.00/btl
Your Price: $27.99/btl Click to Order
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Winemaker Notes, “Dark ruby color with bold aromas of black licorice, black pepper, cherry, and baking spice. The entry is rich, full, and scintillating. The palate is mouthwatering and smooth with a hint of chocolate. The finish is voluptuous with soft, velvety tannins.”

 

PRISONER WINE CO.
2015 CUTTINGS
CABERNET SAUVIGNON
Retails at:  $55.00/btl
Your Price: $39.99/btl
Hailing from renowned sites, including Ink Grade Vineyard on Howell Mountain, Prisoner Wine Company’s Cabernet Sauvignon Cuttings is a one-of-a-kind, dramatic, ostentatious effort that oozes with otherworldly intensity, wrapped in a voluptuous, satin texture.
PRISONER WINE CO.
2016 THE PRISONER
PROPRIETARY BLEND
Retails at:  $47.00/btl
Your Price: $39.99/btl
A wine of unrestrained jubilance and infectious charm, the new 2016 Prisoner unshackles a bounty of deliciously elaborate flavors, and with even more vibrancy and determination. Having jail-break level intensity, the 2016 escapes powerfully from the glass, permeating with beautifully focused ripe cherries, wild strawberry, chocolate, and crushed violets.