This wine offers rich aromas of black cherry, bramble, currant and dark chocolate. The palate has a dense, concentrated core with notes of cranberry, bittersweet chocolate and a hint of smoky oak. The grapes for this Merlot were hand harvested and fermented in a combination of open and closed top fermenters to maximize concentration and extraction in the final blend. The addition of 7 percent Cabernet Sauvignon adds structure and complexity. Each lot was aged separately in 100 percent French oak (40 percent new) for 19 months before blending.