Blended of 70% Cabernet Sauvignon and 30% Merlot, the 2008 Reserve Cabernet Merlot has deep garnet color and a well defined nose of ripe cassis and black plums with clove, cigar box and cedar. Full-bodied and very crisp in the mouth, it has a medium level of grainy tannins, generous flesh and a long finish. Drinking now, it should remain fresh through 2015+. Centennial Vineyards currently does not have a USA importer.

A solid although hardly inspirational effort is the 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot Reserve. With hints of cedar, sweet Provencal herbs, black currants, cherries, and a slightly weedy note, this medium to full-bodied, chunky red should age nicely for 7-8 years. Importer: Jane Delaney, The Ravensvale Group, Greenwich, CT; tel. (800) 580-0052