Always among the top Santa Barbara Merlots, the ’04 is the ripest Gainey I’ve ever had. It’s a burst of chocolate-covered raspberries and cherries, with a rich smoky veneer of sweet oak. If this were any sweeter on the palate, it would be flawed, but it has just enough tannins and acids to keep it balanced.——S.H.(10/1/2007)—— 87