Both wines in this set are approaching their 5th year, which means they're entering the optimum drinking window. Bordeaux wines of this age and older often exhibit plum, cherry, cassis and black raspberry, crossing over into more organic notes of truffle, tobacco and violets. On developing wines such as these, the oak begins to integrate, bringing forth Merlot's soft, chocolatey structure, with a touch of spice.

The 2019 season in Saint-�milion was hot and dry with several heat waves, but the limestone soil of the region made for good water retention, and therefore the vines thrived. Both wineries practice environmentally-friendly, minimal-intervention farming, meticulously harvesting their grapes by hand, and vinifying each variety separately in oak before making the final house blend.