Merus Cabernet Sauvignon Napa Valley 2003 750ml

From the early years of Merus, when its dense, small-lot Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon quickly gained a cult following, the 2003 is 97% Cabernet Sauvignon with a little Malbec and Petit Verdot. Wine Advocate found an inky purple wine with creosote, blueberry, blackberry, sweet earth and smoky, spicy oak, plus full body, glycerin and sweet tannin on a multilayered palate. Stephen Tanzer noted cassis, black cherry and graphite with liqueur-like ripeness, adding that it is "more than simply a fruit bomb." Wine Spectator also rated it highly. Now more than two decades old, it has reached full maturity and is best enjoyed over the next few years.