Amazingly fresh and minty, dusty even, the 2017 Merlot Montiano wafts up with hints of candied citrus, wild berries and sage. It's rich, succulent and round, with ripe red and blue berries, minerals and inner animal muskiness. This shows the warmth and dry conditions of the year, yet with refinement. The 2017 finishes with a saturation of primary fruits and spices offset by hints of tangerine and lifting inner florals, while remaining surprisingly mouthwatering, so lively and fresh. Such balance mixed with power and structure makes this an atypical expression of the vintage, and one worth checking out.

A sleek, harmonious red, medium- to full-bodied, with fine-grained tannins enmeshed with flavors of cassis and black cherry fruit, apple wood smoke and bay leaf. The firm finish is well-spiced and lingering. Drink now through 2027. 3,000 cases made, 500 cases imported.