Grown at a high altitude above Alexander Valley, this Merlot shows dense, hard mountain tannins that lock it down in astringency. The question with such wines always is, will it age? In this case, despite a rich core of cherries and blackberries, it’s doubtful. The wine is so unusually tough that the tannins seem likely to outlive the fruit.——S.H.(9/1/2010)—— 87