Some would call this a serious wine and in face the back label says "It's time to get serious". In the nature of Merri Mill though, this does not sound like very much fun at all. But the wine is very serious in how it is speaking to the place it was grown. On a very specific hand picked vineyard spot chock full of gorgeous manteo soil that glistens in its perfectness for Cabernet Sauvignon. The 2023 vintage is the third expression of this vine/soil relationship that will grow and grow over the years as the roots dive deeper and deeper into this ancient soil. This vines will bear fruit whose hardy character reflects their rugged roots. Now that is actually some serious stuff. After leaving the wine in barrel through the next vintage of 2024 the wine was finally bottled in 2025. I like to think of the barrel aging here as the calaboose for the wine. A calaboose is a temporary restraining place for a disorderly person. The time and the integration of oak in this wine has certainly brought this young edgy clumsy wine into a fantastic and elegant focus. Save it for a special day or savor it now, but good luck keeping a straight face. As the wine ages it will lose acidity slightly and begin to show more richness and depth in mouth feel. Peak for this wine is within 5 years from vintage.