This wine is AMAZING! Huge notes of tobacco and leather! Oak aged in American Oak and French Staves for EIGHT years! Yes, this wine has been sitting in a dark cellar since 2007. A perfect example of when perfect conditions for wine come together. This wine is more like a cognac in flavor instead of a Merlot. In fact, your friends will never guess that it is a Merlot at all. Huge legs and body. A complete bargain at this price!