Composed of 100% Merlot, the 2017 Merlot Vintner's Select comes from 44% Sonoma County and 56% Napa County. Pale to medium garnet-purple colored, it sashays out of the glass with pretty notes of warm plums, kirsch and raspberry pie plus suggestions of chocolate box, star anise and wild sage with a waft of tobacco leaf. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is soft and juicy with lots of energetic red fruit sparks among the black berry flavors, finishing with an invigorating herbal lift. 489 cases were made.