Beringer Bancroft Ranch Merlot 1996

Bancroft Ranch Merlot has a quality I can only describe as all-around richness. Unlike some Merlots I've tasted, the wine from Bancroft has no hole in the middle. It delivers a consistent message from the first waft of its characteristic aromas through its long finish. I think this richness comes mostly from the concentrated blackberry and blueberry flavors but also partly from a kind of earthy quality typical of the vineyard. Underlying these flavors are more subtle notes of anise, tobacco and leather. Ive found that these flavors become more pronounced as the wine ages and evolves, which makes me eager to monitor this vintage well into the next century. -Ed Sbragia, Winemaster