Representing their first-ever Merlot bottling with this site designation (and their original 1986 block), the Massoud’s 2007 Merlot Tuthills Lane is unblended and was aged in largely new barriques. Its ripe cassis, dark cherry, and blueberry are accented with mint and cherry pit, iodine and bittersweet herbal and floral essences. This shows formidable concentration and ripeness yet exhilarating sheer refreshment and an uncanny sense of lift. It’s only 13.5% alcohol, by the way. I would anticipate a dozen years’ satisfaction, and probably not start popping corks for 3-4 years. Veteran Charles Massoud and his oldest son, Kareem, are practicing increasing selectivity and sorting of fruit as well as ever more sensitive and targeted extraction, and their 2007s build on and refine the success of their 2005s.Tel. (631) 722-8800