86% Merlot; 8% Cabernet Franc; 4% Cabernet Sauvignon; 2% Malbec. There is no question that this is a very exciting bottle of wine, but its charms are rather more obvious and less deceptive than its companion above, and while it is a very good Merlot, it is also the most expensive California Merlot we have evaluated. Price is never a consideration in our ratings, but it does come into play when we buy wine, and this one, despite its deep and rich fruit, is just too expensive.

Bright red-ruby. Enticing aromas of plum, licorice, iron, mocha, tobacco and sexy nutty oak. Plush, spicy and sweet, with a lovely light touch to the silky flavors. Very suave wine, finishing long and firm, with noble tannins and lively acidity. Balanced to age but already accessible. Winemaker Pierre Seillan notes that the cabernet sauvignon component is to add "shoulders" to the wine, while the malbec contributes a spicy element.