• wa93

Wine AdvocateThe 2010 Merlot Tuthills Lane was aged in 55% new French oak and 45% neutral French oak and comes in at 13.9% alcohol. The first taste and first thought summed this up-"just gorgeous." Powerful, concentrated and focused, this gripping Merlot takes no prisoners in terms of structure, yet it is in perfect balance with the ripe fruit, too. The fruit is flavorful and nuanced, showing classic Bordeaux-like notes (although, in its youth, also a bit of oak). It is pretty delicious even now, but it will continue to improve in the cellar and it should have a long life ahead. It will acquire more complexity in time and pull in the last bits of oak. Retasted the next day, it was not quite the "wow" wine on first impression, having calmed down, but it showed more complexity and refinement, was more Bordeaux-like than ever and seemed even fresher. While you most certainly can drink it now, it will just as certainly be better in five years or so. It should hold beautifully. It not yet even at peak.