(91-94 Points: Wine Advocate) The 2006 Merus (95% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Malbec, and 2% Petit Verdot) is a 1,200-case cuvee that is softer, more fruit-forward, but doesn’t lose any of the power or richness that constitutes this impressively made Cabernet Sauvignon. Like all vintages to date, the wine spends 18-20 months in 100% new French oak barrels (usually Taransaud), and will be bottled without filtration. The characteristic 2006 softness, opulence, and riper, richer fruit with less restraint and Bordeaux-like structure is obvious in the 2006 Merus.