Reininger Winery 2010 Merlot, Walla Walla Valley, $41
It’s difficult to wrong when you start with Pepper Bridge and Seven Hills vineyards, and the tasting room team at Reininger is so confident of the juice that it has been known to sneak Merlot in front of patrons who say they aren’t interested the variety. One sniff should do the trick, and it starts with hints of plum, blackberry and cherry taffy, joined by cocoa powder, espresso and chalkboard dust. Mouth-filling flavors of dark plum and chocolate-covered pomegranate pick up blackberry seed tannin, then comes a drizzle of maple syrup in the finish.
Rating: Outstanding!
Production: 444 cases
Alcohol: 14.4%
I would like to add that the 2011 Columbia Crest Grand Estates Merlot is also outstanding, especially at its price point.