Tamarack Cellars
Columbia Valley Merlot
Columbia Valley, Oregon/Washington, USA

Rich and concentrated with loads of black fruit and blueberry. Nice long finish but a little hot.
Rich and concentrated with loads of black fruit and blueberry. Nice long finish but a little hot.
Mar 19th, 2014
A really nice Merlot that's rich and complex, good use of french, american and Hungarian oak. Given that Merlot as a varietal is still out of vouge it's hard to justify the $30 price tag.
A really nice Merlot that's rich and complex, good use of french, american and Hungarian oak. Given that Merlot as a varietal is still out of vouge it's hard to justify the $30 price tag.
Feb 24th, 2013This was an average Merlot with black cherry notes. And that’s it. It a little hot on the finish.
This was an average Merlot with black cherry notes. And that’s it. It a little hot on the finish.
Sep 24th, 2025
Took a good 4-5 hrs to open up. Absolutely singing once it fully opened. Great balance. Delicious.
Took a good 4-5 hrs to open up. Absolutely singing once it fully opened. Great balance. Delicious.
Jun 19th, 2022
Label is well done if a bit standard. Like the cone and needle border. Tamarack is my brother’s middle name (aka larch), so I had to buy this one. Dark plum skin color. Aromas are good. Dark fruit juices and sauces mixed with woodsy freshness. Slightest hint of red meat too. Flavors are chewy, fleshy and earthy. Cherry Coke and blackberry pastry. Maybe a purple mulberry too. A little anise/fennel/licorice root. Or maybe that’s sarsaparilla. Plenty of tannin to keep the fruit flavors from running wild. Just enough wood to give it a forestry feel. This is a nice structured Merlot from WA. Not quite as dynamic or complex as the weighty bottle implies, but it’s still a great bottle.
Label is well done if a bit standard. Like the cone and needle border. Tamarack is my brother’s middle name (aka larch), so I had to buy this one. Dark plum skin color. Aromas are good. Dark fruit juices and sauces mixed with woodsy freshness. Slightest hint of red meat too. Flavors are chewy, fleshy and earthy. Cherry Coke and blackberry pastry. Maybe a purple mulberry too. A little anise/fennel/licorice root. Or maybe that’s sarsaparilla. Plenty of tannin to keep the fruit flavors from running wild. Just enough wood to give it a forestry feel. This is a nice structured Merlot from WA. Not quite as dynamic or complex as the weighty bottle implies, but it’s still a great bottle.
Apr 28th, 2022






