L'Ecole 41 Columbia Valley Merlot 2006

  • 89 Wine
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  • 88 Wine
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  • 87 Robert
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L'Ecole 41 Columbia Valley Merlot 2006 Front Label
L'Ecole 41 Columbia Valley Merlot 2006 Front Label

Product Details


Varietal

Region

Producer

Vintage
2006

Size
750ML

ABV
14.3%

Your Rating

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Somm Note

Winemaker Notes

A blend of 80% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 5% Petit Verdot and 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

  • 89
    Bright plum scents lead with a topnote of white pepper and a hint of tobacco leaf. Its black cherry flavors are marked by a plum-skin bitterness, with a peppery acidity marking the finish.
  • 88
    L'Ecole's vineyard sources are remarkable, and this Columbia valley Merlot brings in fruit from top sites in Walla Walla, Red Mountain, and the Wahluke Slope. Plump red fruits are dappled with hints of peppery herb, acids are natural and lend vibrancy, but the finish carries just a little too much heat. The blend includes 11% Cab Franc, 3% Cabernet Sauvignon and 6% Petit Verdot.
  • 87
    The dark ruby-colored 2006 Merlot (80%) contains 11% Cabernet Franc with the balance Petit Verdot and Cabernet Sauvignon. It is a forward, smooth-textured, savory effort that will drink well over the next 6-8 years.

    L’Ecole No. 41 is one of Walla Walla’s pioneers, the third modern day winery in the Valley. Over the years the winery has prospered, outgrown the namesake schoolhouse, and now produces about 35,000 cases with distribution in all 50 states and abroad. Despite the expansion, quality has remained consistently excellent.

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L'Ecole 41

L'Ecole 41

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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.

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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.

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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.

AIWLECOLEMER_2006 Item# 98659

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