Once again the Merlot is the best of a very fine flight of Tulpen wines. More muscular than the Cabernet, it includes 10% Malbec and 5% Petit Verdot in the mix, resulting in a dense, dark wine loaded with black fruits. Polished tannins are lightly layered in streaks of leaf, herb and earth. The alcohol tops 15%, but there is not a hint of heat in the finish.