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Luke Wines 2016 Merlot, Columbia Valley, $25

By on March 13, 2019

For four straight vintages, Thomas Vogele focused his Luke Wines project on Cabernet Sauvignon. Starting in 2016, the University of Washington grad and his wife, Kristin, began to branch out with Merlot and Syrah. They’ve gone big with Luke as a brand, growing beyond 10,000 cases, and they pull all the fruit from Jerry Milbrandt’s vineyards on the Wahluke Slope. For this Merlot, the list reads Clifton, Northridge, Sundance, Talcott and the re-energized Wahluke Slope Vineyard. Blackcurrant, black cherry, vanilla and mint aromas lead into a deep and dark blue fruit profile that’s joined by taut yet sandy tannins and a long finish of Marionberry milkshake. Enjoy now with a rib eye, but there’s a long life ahead. Vogele’s two decades of experience working for the likes of Gallo, Trinchero and the Mondavi family have helped him get Luke into 35 states.

Rating: Excellent

Production: 1,053 cases

Alcohol: 13.9%

Winery website

About Great Northwest Wine

Articles authored by Great Northwest Wine are co-authored by Eric Degerman and Andy Perdue. In most cases, these are wine reviews that are judged blind by the Great Northwest Wine tasting panel.

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