This is a serious Merlot, a welcome relief from the sea of mediocrity that masquerades under the variety. Grown in the winery’s estate vineyard in the southerly Coombville area, the wine shows similarities to Carneros Merlots. Dry, fairly tannic, with crisp acidity and an earthy grounding, it has supple, refined flavors of black cherries, currants, cocoa, violets and cedar.——S.H.(6/1/2008)—— 92

Just a bit too ripe and hot, which gives it a superficial deliciousness of fruit, but the underlying structure prevents complexity and longevity. The flavors are of cooked blackberries and cherries, with an edge of Port.——S.H.(8/1/2007)—— 84

Voluptuous and sensual, this is an exotically ripe style of Merlot that joins lush fruit and toasty oak with a fine tannin-acid structure. They used to call Merlot the soft Cabernet, and in this case it really is true. At its best now. ——S.H.(12/1/2006)—— 88