Eighteen months in barrel and on lees from a big year can produce this kind of black beauty of a Merlot. This is not your mother’s soft spoken, supple fruited Merlot of a bygone era. This is also not the kind of Merlot Milo spoke about in Sideways. This is a brawny Merlot with a tight unwielding nose that tickles the olfactries with cassis, cinnamon and the possibility of things to come. The palate shows a little more than the nose; sure you’ll find big blackberry and cassis flavours but there’s also a hint of cocoa. Big muscular tannins that will see this one age over the next decade. Price: $44.95 – Rating; ****