It is time for some Merlot on this #MerlotThursday.
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Strong spicy nose of raspberries, sweet cherries, light oak, spices, licorice, earth, eucalyptus, herbs and peppercorn.
Full bodied with medium acidity and long legs.
Dry on the palate with plums, cherries, raspberries, spices, light oak, herbs, licorice, dark chocolates, peppercorn and earth.
Spicy finish with fine grained tannins and tangy cranberries.
This is a very tasty Merlot based Bordeaux blend from Washington State. An Interesting wine that feels more like a Right Bank Bordeaux. Tangy and spicy.
Right out of the bottle it definitely feels like a new world wine, but once it opens up it changes.
This 3 year old is so very young, and would be better in 3 to 5 years. Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years.
I really enjoyed the nose, once it opened up. The palate needs some more bottle time, but it has good potential.
Needs time to open up properly, so be patient. I used the Zencore to expedite the process. Took about 8 minutes.
I paired it with a charcuterie board of meats and cheeses.
A blend of 60% Merlot, 34% Cabernet Sauvignon, 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Aged for 18 months in French oak barrels (55% new).
14.3% alcohol by volume.
91 points.
$50. — 4 years ago
Not so fruity, light, on the drier side. Very drinkable. Would buy again to drink while cooking. Drank while making Pati Jinich’s chicken tinga with Sami in a severe heat wave/drought and record dangerous levels of AQI due to Canadian wild fires. — 5 years ago
Thanks Goaley, great as always... Washington Merlots are very good — 5 years ago

Sourced from the Walla Walla Rocks District, this opens with Umami and nori tones that mingle with Mandarin orange rind, and guava puree tones that all dance in the glass. The palate is plush, showing off its silky texture. Layers of bright red fruits collide with minerals, charcuterie, citrus rind accents and stony undertones on the palate. Sinfully good in its youth, this beautiful wine will cellar well over the next decade. Drink 2020-2030- 94 — 6 years ago
Great bordeaux style wine. Medium balance with plenty of fruit forward - 2011 is drinking great — 7 years ago
Smells of fruit grown in gravel.
Loud blueberries, cran Pom grape good, clean, smooth, mouthfeel and wonderfully light heft. A whole lot bouncing around in this wine. The acid oak balance is strikingly harmonious.
Lingering blue fruit skin. A good one to watch the latest GOT with.
— 7 years ago
It is time for my #FridayCabernetfix.
Dark ruby in color with a wide reddish rim.
Nice nose of cedar, licorice, cola, Indian spices, chocolates and tobacco.
Medium plus in body with medium acidity.
Dry on the palate with currants, plums, cooked cherries, cedar, spices, light vanilla, tobacco, peppercorn, espresso, eucalyptus, light vegetables and herbs.
Long finish with fine grained tannins and tangy raspberries.
This 4 year old Cabernet Sauvignon from Yountville is already delicious. Fruit forward and elegant. Soft and smooth.
Showing nice complexity. Still young but already enjoyable even by itself.
Good right out of the bottle, and better after an hour in the decanter. A good quality wine.
Will continue to age nicely in the next 10 years. This Single Vineyard has good potential to become a 94 +point wine.
A good sipping wine that will pair nicely with a big piece of steak.
A blend of 97% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. Aged for 19 months in (55% new) French Oak barrels. Only 7,200 bottles made.
14.5% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$90. — 3 years ago
Color of bubbly purple, nice legs. Nose is fruity of dark berries, like blackberry and grapes, some ripe pineapple too, spice, a bit fermented cabbage, a bit peppery, and a bit coke cola. Taste is mellow tannins and a bit sweet, with bittersweet zest plus the notes from the nose. Aftertaste is a bit overpowered by bitterness. Average. — 5 years ago
2011 Vintage - (out of 375ml) first time for this producer young color red rim - beautiful varietal character Cabernet Sauvignon dominate - currants, berries, distilled Napa Valley Character at its best - nice balance with fruit and tannins -and unlike some of the wines out of Napa not over extracted or exaggerated alcohols - beautiful balance — 5 years ago
I’m not usually a fan of Chardonnay blends, but this dry Rosé was refreshing and perfect for a summer night. — 6 years ago
Great mouthfeel. Lots of fruit — 7 years ago
Light sweet and crisp more of a spring time wine than a fall but would definitely get again! — 10 months ago
Pretty light but quite round. Got a feeling of black currant. — 10 months ago
This is a solid Merlot. It’s smooth but rather one note to me. I don’t get the level of flavors in this one. It is beautiful in the glass and over all a decent Merlot. I would buy again — 5 years ago
This is a delicious red blend from Washington State. Showing blackberries, coffee, chocolates, vanilla, cedar, earth, light vegetables, licorice, spices and tobacco leaf.
Full bodied with medium acidity. Dry on the palate and very fruity.
Nicely balanced with a great mouthfeel and nice complexity.
Good right out of the bottle and better with airtime. After 90 minutes of airtime, tannins comes out.
Tangy and rich. Spicy and interesting.
Feels like a mix of Bordeaux and a Napa blend. Very interesting and tasty.
Would age nicely in the next 5 to 7 years.
A blend of 58% Cabernet Sauvignon, 30% Syrah and 12% Petit Verdot.
14.9% alcohol by volume.
92 points.
$60. — 5 years ago
Starting to soften just slightly and drinks well now with a short decant. Bright red fruits from the grenache, some darker and more savory elements from the mourvedre and just a touch of syrah which I can’t pick out on the palate but makes for a nice bouquet. — 7 years ago
David Shaw
Ruby red, very good clarity. Strawberry aroma, strawberry and raspberry flavors, light skin astringency and a bit of seed bitterness on finish. Slightly tart. After 30 minutes, the lactic character comes out in the finish. — 6 months ago