Soft and luscious from the start, the 2009 Alto Adige Merlot Riserva Kastelaz shows enormous depth with thick layers of dark fruit, candied cherry, leather and tobacco. The wine sees 18 months of oak, almost all new, and rests in the bottle for an additional eight months. It’s smooth, rich texture flows beautifully to the back of the mouth imparting rich berry intensity as it moves forward.