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The aroma profile of Merlot is similar to that of Cabernet Sauvignon: cherry and berry fruit with herbal notes of tarragon and thyme. Yet there are some distinct differences between the wines.

Merlot works best as a lighter-styled wine, say winemakers. Attempts over the last few decades to make a Merlot that ages gracefully were largely unsuccessful.

Tom Rinaldi of Duckhorn believes the tannins in Merlot should be modest enough that the wine can be consumed five years from the vintage date. He feels his 1989 Merlots will be at its best in 1994.

Yet there are some producers of Merlot that make them even lighter, and these wines are grand drinking as soon as they are released. An example is the Merlot of Boeger in Placerville, well east of the Napa Valley. The richer, denser style of Merlot, on the other hand, is exemplified by the stunning 1989 Matanzas Creek ($28).

In some cases, especially when it is picked early, Merlot offers a note of green leaves. In some cases, that character can be excessive.

“Merlot is a strange variety,” says Randy Mason, winemaker at Lakespring in the southern Napa Valley. “With Merlot, you live and die by the varietal character, and if you get too much of the green elements, the wine can be pretty vegetative.”

Yet when Merlot is overripe, it can, like Cabernet, have a jammy aroma that makes it more like Port. So picking it at the peak of maturity is important.

For a glimpse of classic Merlot character in a reasonably priced wine, try 1989 Corbett Canyon Coastal Classic Merlot, which sells for $7 a bottle and is often discounted. The wine was the red-wine sweepstakes winner at the West Coast Wine Competition at Reno and has won gold medals at other fairs.