L'Ecole 41 Columbia Valley Merlot 2005

  • 91 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 90 Wine
    Spectator
3.1 Good (7)
2020 Vintage In Stock
27
25 99
OFFER 10% off your order of $99+
Ships Tomorrow
You purchased this 5/11/22
1
Limit Reached
You purchased this 5/11/22
Alert me about new vintages and availability
L'Ecole 41 Columbia Valley Merlot 2005 Front Label
L'Ecole 41 Columbia Valley Merlot 2005 Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2005

Size
750ML

Your Rating

0.0 Not For Me NaN/NaN/N

Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

Blend: 80% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc,5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon

Rich with aromatic aromas of nutmeg, clove and cinnamon, this spicy Merlot shows red cherry fruit, black plum, blackberry and dark fruit flavors encased in a peppery, chocolate, black cherry finish.

Professional Ratings

  • 91
    Beautifully dark and plummy, with smoky, opulent fruit. Though full and fleshy, it has complex layering—it’s not just a fruit bomb. Berries and spice, chocolate and herb work in sync, creating a complete, rich and toasty wine with excellent depth.
  • 90
    Bright and distinctive, offering red cherry and currant flavors that just won't quit as this lean, lithe wine zings across the palate. Finishes with silky texture. Drink now through 2012. 6,082 cases made.

Other Vintages

2021
  • 92 James
    Suckling
2020
  • 92 James
    Suckling
  • 91 Wine
    Spectator
  • 91 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 90 Wine &
    Spirits
  • 90 Decanter
2019
  • 91 Wine
    Enthusiast
2018
  • 90 Wine
    Spectator
2017
  • 92 Wine
    Enthusiast
2016
  • 90 Wine &
    Spirits
2015
  • 92 James
    Suckling
  • 90 Wine &
    Spirits
2014
  • 89 Wine
    Spectator
  • 89 Robert
    Parker
2013
  • 91 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 90 Robert
    Parker
2012
  • 90 Wine
    Spectator
  • 90 Wine
    Enthusiast
2011
  • 91 Wine
    Enthusiast
2010
  • 89 Wine
    Spectator
2008
  • 89 Wine
    Spectator
2007
  • 92 Wine &
    Spirits
  • 91 Wine
    Enthusiast
2006
  • 89 Wine
    Spectator
  • 88 Wine
    Enthusiast
  • 87 Robert
    Parker
2004
  • 90 Wine
    Enthusiast
2003
  • 88 Wine &
    Spirits
  • 88 Wine
    Spectator
2000
  • 88 Robert
    Parker
1999
  • 93 Wine &
    Spirits
L'Ecole 41

L'Ecole 41

View all products
L'Ecole 41, Washington
L'Ecole 41 Winery Video

Founded in 1983 in the Walla Walla Valley, L'Ecole No 41 is one of Washington State's most iconic and oldest family-owned wineries. Housed in the historic Frenchtown School depicted on our label, we have earned international acclaim for producing distinctive wines of the highest quality. We craft ultra-premium wines that reflect the unmistakable typicity of Washington State and the unique terroir of our Walla Walla Valley vineyards.

Growing and making 100% of our wines, each bottle is handcrafted with a commitment to quality in the vineyards and the winery. More than three decades of winemaking experience, ongoing investments in our Walla Walla Estate Ferguson and Seven Hills Vineyards, and long term relationships with many of the most prominent vineyards in Washington State are central to our well-known reputation for quality and consistency across our wine portfolio. These tenets will continue to sustain L'Ecole well into the future. 

L'Ecole is one of the most honored wineries in Washington State. We are proud to be recognized by Wine & Spirits Magazine as a Top 100 Winery of the Year for fourteen consecutive years. In 2014, Decanter awarded our 2011 Estate Ferguson the International Trophy for Best Bordeaux Blend in the World! In 2016, the 2013 Ferguson won the International Trophy for Best New World Bordeaux Blend from the Six Nations Wine Challenge.

Image for Merlot content section
View all products

With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.

Image for Columbia Valley Wine Washington content section
View all products

A large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!

Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.

Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.

AIWLME_2005 Item# 93982

Internet Explorer is no longer supported.
Please use a different browser like Edge, Chrome or Firefox to enjoy all that Wine.com has to offer.

It's easy to make the switch.
Enjoy better browsing and increased security.

Yes, Update Now

Search for ""