Another wine that flirts with perfection is the 100% Merlot 2016 Roberta's Reserve, which was harvested at the end of September and spent 20 months in 70% new barrels. I finished my note on this wine with "Best Merlot in the New World," and I can't think of another wine that comes close to the layered, balanced, majestic style of this beauty. Offering up a kaleidoscope of black cherries, damp earth, chocolate, cedarwood, and spring flowers, it's full-bodied and rich, yet just glides over the palate with a seamless, elegant, pure style that needs to be tasted to be believed. As with all the Kapcsandy wines, it has the purity and balance to offer pleasure in its youth yet is going to evolve beautifully.

The deep garnet-purple colored 2016 Roberta's Reserve State Lane Vineyard (100% Merlot) has a totally seductive nose of Indian spices, fruitcake and sandalwood over a core of preserved plums, dried mandarin peel, blackberry pie and blueberry compote with a touch of cedar chest. The palate is medium to full-bodied with gorgeous plush tannins and balancing freshness supporting the boldly spicy black fruit preserves, finishing very long. -LPB

Bright, deep ruby-red. Aromas of blackberry, blueberry, bitter chocolate, spices, violet and lilac are complicated by a saline quality. Wonderfully dense, sappy wine; very pure and intense, showing an almost aggressively youthful quality to its berry, dark cherry and spice flavors. Highly concentrated but a bit unforthcoming today. This wine already displays lovely integration of acidity and tannins yet today it comes across as a bit spiky compared to the Grand Vin, perhaps because it possesses a bit less density. Finishes with an intriguing note of dark chocolate and outstanding rising length. I would expect this wine to eventually merit an even higher rating. (14.6% alcohol; aged in French oak, 70% new) -- Stephen Tanzer