Wine Enthusiast "Has the prettiest bouquet of red cherries and smoke, with hints of bacon, thyme, mint and white chocolate. Equally complex on the palate, with the most generous texture. Pure velvet." Editor's Choice. Houston Chronicle "What merlot should be – a generous dollop of fruit, but fruit with body, not some wimped-out, washed-out red wine..." 4 ½ stars. California Grapevine "Highly recommended...attractive, forward, toasty, spicy, green olive and sweet cherry fruit aroma; medium-full body; rich, moderately concentrated herbal, cherry and berry fruit flavors; medium-full tannin; slightly dry and tarrish on the finish; lingering aftertaste." Press Democrat, Santa Rosa, California "Wine of the Week. Rich and ripe without being over-ripe. A vibrant texture, with aromas and flavors of red currant, cherry cola, dusty cedar and sweet wood. Polished." 4 ½ stars. Wine Spectator "Focused on tasty red cherry, black berry and plum, turning spicy and cedary, with firm tannins." James Laube's Smart Buys in California Merlot. Restaurant Wine "A complex, concentrated Merlot, with layers of new oak character. It is full bodied, moderately rich, and quite woody, which shows through on the finish." Quarterly Review of Wines "California Best of the Best. Good deep color; brooding black-fruit and toasted-oak nose; lush, concentrated, blackberry, coffee and nutty-oak-vanillin flavors; soft, elegant finish." Excellent.