The 2019 Merlot Reserve Mailbox Vineyard is a powerful, savory wine. Dried herbs, lavender, spice, menthol and tobacco hit the palate, followed by searing tannins that lend quite a bit of presence. If the fruit emerge, the 2019 might merit a more optimistic review, but now, the 2019 is very tight and youthfully austere. It will be interesting to see what time brings.

More ambitious, and sourced from a single patch of vines, Keenan's 2019 Merlot Mailbox Vineyard delivers intense aromas of toasted oak, mocha and black cherries. Full-bodied, creamy and supple, it features a long, cherry-driven finish and a dusting of soft tannins.