The 1997 Merlot Reserve displays good underlying, tangy acidity, largely because 1997 was a cooler year than normal. It is an elegantly-styled effort, with admirable stuffing as well as noteworthy black cherries in the nose, along with spicy oak and cool, leafy herbaceous scents. Black cherry flavors in the mouth are complemented by the wine's medium body and excellent purity. It should be consumed over the next 7-8 years.A Ted Schrauth Selection, Old Vines Australia, imported by Epic Wines, Santa Cruz, CA; tel. (408) 689-9080, and C. Daniele, New York, NY; tel. (212) 534-3421

The opaque ruby/purple-colored 1996 Merlot Reserve exhibits a smoky, chocolatey, toasty nose intermingled with copious quantities of berry fruit. Full-bodied, chewy, and opulently-textured, it is a textbook, lavishly-endowed Merlot to drink over the next 7-9 years. Readers should also note that it weighs in at 14% alcohol.