Mike Januik’s standing in the Washington wine industry allows him to cherry-pick among the state’s premier plantings. Here, fruit from historic Ciel du Cheval, managed for the Holmes family by Kade Casciato, joins berries from two vineyards in the vast portfolio of Washington Wine Hall of Fame inductee Dick Shaw — Obelisco and Quintessence. And this bottling’s provenance helps … [Read more...] about Januik Winery 2018 Merlot, Red Mountain $35.00
merlot
Coyote Canyon Winery 2018 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills $33.00
In 2020, winemaker Justin Michaud turned owner/grower Mike Andrew's 2017 Merlot grapes into a Double Platinum, his first with the variety, so this showing for the bottling from 2018 displays consistency. There's enticing brightness in the nose with pie cherry, candied blueberry and pinches of nutmeg, cardamon and cedar. Tasty notes of blackberry and blueberry are quite … [Read more...] about Coyote Canyon Winery 2018 Coyote Canyon Vineyard Merlot, Horse Heaven Hills $33.00
Cathedral Ridge Winery 2018 Merlot, Columbia Valley $34.00
This Hood River, Ore., producer has been on a roll of late, exemplified by its four Platinums in 2021 — all for work with red Bordeaux varieties. Some of it can be attributed to owner Robb Bell’s exploration in Washington vineyards for some of the red wines. Now, Sonoma-based winemaker Michael Sebastiani gets to incorporate prized Elephant Mountain Vineyard in the Yakima Valley … [Read more...] about Cathedral Ridge Winery 2018 Merlot, Columbia Valley $34.00
Abacela Winery 2018 Estate Merlot, Umpqua Valley $26.00
While the Jones family’s storied site continues to earn international acclaim for its work with Iberian Peninsula varieties, Fault Line Vineyards and seasoned winemaker Andrew Wenzl add more proof that Southern Oregon deserves to be in the discussion of approachable Merlot. And while the historic establishment of Tempranillo continues to attract much of the attention, these 3.6 … [Read more...] about Abacela Winery 2018 Estate Merlot, Umpqua Valley $26.00
Winescape Wines 2017 Merlot, Columbia Valley $30.00
A research scientist in his previous life, Phillip Butterfield now focuses his attention on crafting wine along Spokane’s South Hill in the Glenrose neighborhood. His work with Merlot produced a pair of gold medals in our tasting, with this 2017 bottling nudging past his 2018, and it’s another product of Bacchus Vineyard in the recently established White Bluffs appellation. … [Read more...] about Winescape Wines 2017 Merlot, Columbia Valley $30.00