Winemaker Notes
This wine exhibits rich layers of clove, vanilla, and a touch of molasses, leading to aromas of ripe dark plum, boysenberry jam, and subtle hints of root beer and sweet Timothy hay. On the palate, dark, sweet fruit dominates the entry, complemented by barrel spice, while the mid-palate is well-structured but not astringent, offering a full, round mouthfeel balanced by juicy plum flavors. The finish is rich and layered, with notes of dried black cherry and root beer. It pairs beautifully with duck breast with huckleberry or blueberry reduction, wild game, or bacon and blue cheese burgers.
Blend: 76% Merlot, 19% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Malbec
Professional Ratings
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Wine Spectator
Smooth yet zesty at its heart, with crowd-pleasing red currant and toasty spice flavors that end on a plush accent. Drink now through 2030. 1,009 cases made.
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.
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.