Barnadown Run’s 2001 Merlot is a sophisticated example of this varietal, which rarely does well outside France and Tuscany. Notes of coffee, chocolate, berry fruit, and herbs are present in this dark ruby-colored, medium-bodied, nicely-textured offering. Austere tannin in the finish might prove problematic. Drink it over the next 4-5 years. Importer: Ken Onish & John Gorman, Southern Starz, Huntington Beach, CA; tel. (714) 892-3030