This dark beauty produces an earthy bouquet of loam, tobacco leaf, and ripe olives all mingling around dried red plums and dark berry aromas. Cranberry and blueberry notes are joined by red rhubarb, black cherry, currant and spicy reminders of orange peel, cinnamon stick and vanilla bean. The 2009 Merlot has firm yet supple tannins, and a long finish replete with black cherry, mocha and the minerality character that is simply “Buttonwoodish.”