Washington Merlot
By Andrew B. Campbell
Washington makes great wine, period. It seems
to be a great climate in the Eastern part of the state to grow
virtually every grape imaginable. One of the hardest grapes to grow
and develop into a great wine, Pinot Noir, is even being
successfully made (and it tastes great too!) out of the Chelan area,
much to the chagrin of our neighbors in Oregon. Those Ducks down
south need not worry, though, because the best red, and some of the
best values, to come out of Washington is still Merlot.
Merlot has gotten a bad rap, since the wildly popular wine movie
Sideways came out promoting Pinot Noir.
Well, more is the fool who turns his back on one of the world's most
popular varietals based on a comedic Hollywood script!
Here is a list of some great, currently available Washington
merlots, in order of preference, that were blind tasted by the
WineSquire.com staff. We would gladly sit down for a glass of these
merlots:
Woodinville Wine Cellars Merlot 2002 (Washington) $25
A winner in our panel’s blind tasting, this dark brooding merlot
breaks all stereotypes from a certain popular pinot noir movie. This
is very interesting wine, with dark currant fruit, sweet oak and an
ultra smooth/long finish. It’s hard to believe this winery has only
been making wine for 3 vintages…bravo!
Canoe Ridge Merlot 2002 (Washington) $22
Again, another winner in our panel’s blind tasting. This bright
fruited, well-balanced red is a treat, and a real steal at the
price! It exhibits bright cherry, red currant and cedar notes, along
with a vanilla and berry finish. A must-have with grilled
pork-chops!
Sebastiani Merlot Sonoma County 2000 (California) $16
This is the monkey wrench that was in our blind tasting of
Washington merlots because it is from California. This is a huge
tannic wine with good dark fruit characteristics with an oak-laced
finish. Even though it is from the 2000 vintage, this needs a few
years in the cellar to settle down. This is very highly recommended.
Pavin & Riley Merlot 2002 (Washington) $12
This is the second vintage from this up-and-comer, and it placed
well in our blind tasting of Washington Merlots. This has a medium
body, good bright cherry notes and a soft, pleasing finish.
Sockeye Merlot 2001 (Washington) $12
This negociant winery has hit the mark with its merlot. It has
everything Washington merlots are stereotyped about: great fruit,
good texture, soft finish. This will pair well with your summer BBQ!
Cheers! |
