Winemaker Michael Beaulac joined FFWS in 2021, and this is his first vintage for Merus. “We select fruit from some of the finest vineyards throughout the Napa Valley to create a Cabernet that represents the diversity of its terroirs in a singular wine whose sum is bigger than its parts in color, structure, and complexity, resulting in a wine that is purely distinctive of Merus,” he says. While most of the grapes for this prestigious wine hail from Rutherford, several of the vineyards are owned by growers whose sites are renowned for excellence, with strict farming and harvesting protocols. A blend of 81% Cabernet Sauvignon and 19% Merlot, it aged 21 months in 100% new French oak. Its startling perfume of chocolate, raspberry, and cinnamon is a revealing preview of its majestic character, paving the way for the dense and opulent liquid. Its engine purrs rather than vrooms, and as its sunshine-filled ripeness drapes a velvet carpet across the palate, freshness ensues, joining deep, saturated notes of boysenberry ganache.