A tank sample blend of 40% Merlot, 40% Cabernet Franc and 20% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Proprietary Red Cuvee 37.2 is deep garnet-purple in color with a nose of crushed blackberries, red currants and black cherries with wafts of cedar chest, yeast extract and black olives plus sage hints. The palate is full-bodied, rich and concentrated with grainy tannins and quite earthy in mouth, finishing long.

The 2016 Merlot Cuvee 37.2 is just as good from bottle as it was from barrel. Deeply layered and yet also super-polished, the 2016 has much to recommend it. A rush of dark cherry, plum, leather, smoke, licorice, grilled herb and earthy notes abound in this beautifully resonant and expressive Merlot-based blend. Even with all of its intensity, the 2016 has terrific freshness.