2008 Merus Cabernet Sauvignon

Bright, deep saturated ruby to the rim. Pungent blackberry, blueberry, minerals, licorice, bitter chocolate, graphite and violet on the nose, along with a lot of sweet oak. Dense but juicy in the mouth, with a texture like liquid velvet nicely enlivened by excellent harmonious acidity. Very concentrated, vibrant flavors of blackberry, pepper and exotic oak. Tastes almost sweet and finishes with oak-driven but suave, even tannins. Offers a major mouthful of fruit, but I'd still give this glossy wine some time to integrate its components. (ST) 93+

Patience, patience, and more patience is mandated by the 2008. A blend of 99% Cabernet Sauvignon, .5% Malbec and .5% Petit Verdot reveals an opaque blue/purple color in addition to abundant graphite, vanillin, blueberry and blackberry aromas. Built for the long haul, it is a concentrated, dense, promising Cabernet along the lines of the great wines made at Merus since its founding by Mark Herold (who is now pursuing other projects). Give it 4-5 years of cellaring and drink it over the following 25-30 years. Tel. (707) 251-5551

(I tasted what winemaker Camille Benitah described as "the almost final blend from a very uneven vintage between freezing and burning") Good bright, saturated ruby. Blackberry aroma lifted by a strong floral component. Sweet and broad on entry, then a bit aggressive, even spiky, in the middle, with an impression of strong acidity and firm tannins. Fruit-driven but a bit dry today. Benitah says the wine is softer than it's showing today. Seventy percent of the vineyards used to source this wine had at least some frost damage in 2008, noted Benitah, who said that much of the harvest took place during the second half of October.