Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot 2001
-
Spectator
Wine
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Consistently warm temperatures July through September yielded Merlot brimming with ripe, concentrated varietal character. Lots were crushed and destemmed, then each was fermented separately on the skins for five days. Certain lots then were designated to undergo extended contact with the skins to extract additional color, flavor and tannin. The wine was racked by gravity flow to predominantly new French and American oak barrels for malolactic fermentation and 16 months aging. During this time, barrel to barrel racking was done every three months with biweekly topping. After aging, the winemaker sampled each component wine and created a master blend featuring 60% of all fruit initially harvested for the Grand Estates program. A small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and Cabernet Franc also were added to the blend to broaden flavor complexity. The wine offers a chewy raspberry-blueberry core that is cloaked in toasty coconut. A structure of medium-plus tannins presents a velvety texture on the middle palate.
Professional Ratings
- Wine Spectator
Other Vintages
2021-
Suckling
James
-
Suckling
James
-
Suckling
James
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Enthusiast
Wine -
Spectator
Wine
-
Spirits
Wine & -
Spectator
Wine
-
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine -
Enthusiast
Wine
-
Spectator
Wine
Founded in 1982, Columbia Crest was the very first winery in the famed Horse Heaven Hills AVA in eastern Washington state. Since then, the unwavering passion for crafting wines of outstanding quality has earned more 90+ Point bottles than any other U.S. winery from Wine Spectator. The legacy is built with every harvest, honoring the rich heritage of Washington wine in every bottle.
Aptly named after the highest peak on Mount Rainier, Columbia Crest represents the pinnacle of Washington State wine. From the vineyard to the glass, Columbia Crest wines are an extraordinary expression of craftsmanship, delivering a steadfast promise with each bottle – world-class wines from a world-class wine region.