Charles Auclair’s continued fascination with Red Mountain for Bordeaux varieties — red and white — pays off again as usual, however the Woodinville winemaker’s blend barely qualified for this comparative tasting with Merlot accounting for 75% of the bottling. His three best barrels of Merlot from Heart of The Hill Vineyard were joined by a barrel of Cabernet Franc from Artz … [Read more...] about Auclair Winery 2018 Right Blend Red Wine, Red Mountain $40.00
merlot
Be Human 2019 Merlot, Columbia Valley $17.00
Best Buy! One of the least expensive examples of Merlot also ranked near the top, thanks to Ivy League-trained winemaker Joshua Maloney and the Aquilini family’s vast plantings across Red Mountain and the Horse Heaven Hills. The Cornell graduate’s use of American oak, 33% new wood, adds vanilla, chocolate and baking spice to the profile of blackberry, plum and violets, which … [Read more...] about Be Human 2019 Merlot, Columbia Valley $17.00
Sherman Winery 2017 Merlot Reserve, Horse Heaven Hills $38.00
Here's the definition of a true “reserve” program — winemaker Brad Sherman's best two barrels of Merlot from Destiny Ridge Vineyard. The prized planting of Alexandria Nicole Cellars owner Jarrod Boyle in the Horse Heaven Hills paves the way for a nicely structured red that exudes tones of mocha, dark cherry and strawberry fruit leather backed by mint and ground cinnamon. A late … [Read more...] about Sherman Winery 2017 Merlot Reserve, Horse Heaven Hills $38.00
Seven Hills Winery 2019 SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot, Walla Walla Valley $50.00
History continues to smile upon this vineyard near the state line between Oregon and Washington, site of the Walla Walla Valley’s original planting of Merlot by the McClellan and Hendricks families. The effort and excitement sparked Casey McClellan to matriculate to the University of California-Davis and become the valley’s first classically trained winemaker, and this bottling … [Read more...] about Seven Hills Winery 2019 SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot, Walla Walla Valley $50.00
Washington Hills Winery 2018 Merlot, Columbia Valley $9.99
Best Buy! The first time our panel staged a comparative tasting for a magazine was in 1998. The focus was Merlot, and one of the best was the Washington Hills 1995 Merlot. Twenty-two years later, this Precept brand ranks among the most delicious Merlots, and the price has remained $10. Its fruit-forward nose of blueberry and plum includes a whiff of a coastal breeze. There is … [Read more...] about Washington Hills Winery 2018 Merlot, Columbia Valley $9.99