Did you ever hear the expression, "sexy oak" and wonder what it referred to? Pour some Abel Mendoza Selección Personal right after popping the cork, smell the toffee on the nose and sense, after the burst of fruit on the finish, the light cloud of butterscotch that hovers in your mouth. The special effects diminish with a little air, and the wine becomes balanced and compelling. It has a rich aroma of red and black fruit, chocolate, spices, a touch of pepper, and sweet oak. The finish reveals ripe integrated tannins and a nice touch of anise and moss on the finish. It has nice body and excellent persistence while remaining non-syrupy - a full but buoyant mouthfeel. This seemly effortlessly structured wine drinks very nicely now, but I expect it will be lovely in about three years. A wine with a lot of nuance and finesse for the price, and certainly the best Selección Personal of the past three vintages.