Decadent berry compote leads the bouquet of this wine, while secondary notes of fig and date unfold on the back. The balanced, medium-weight mouth is rich and ripe, with assertive flavors of cherry skin, fudgy chocolate and sweet woody spice that flood the palate and linger on the finish. ——L.B.(4/1/2012)—— 88

The 2006 MERLOT spent 13 months in French oak. The oak is a bit noticeable, giving the wine a sweet tinge at first, but it is pretty well integrated and as the wine airs out, olives pop out and the oaky notes recede. The wine is showing well at the moment, particularly if you like the modest olive nuance that eventually emerges. It does not have a lot of mid-palate concentration, but this is bright and elegant and it has enough of a backbone. It has some charm, too. Drink now-2014. Importer: Royal Wine Corp., Bayonne, N.J.; tel: (718) 534-0118.