Merlot Wine

Wine Spectator, 92 points: Plush and rich-tasting, with finely interwoven flavors of dark cherry, plum tart and blackberry that are accented by cocoa powder notes. Asian spice accents fill the lush finish. Drink now through 2022. 52,000 cases...

jamessuckling.com, 95 points: The polish and fine texture to this 2014 is impressive with blueberry, dark chocolate and light walnut aromas and flavors. Medium body, integrated tannins and a long, refined finish. Serious sense for the vintage. Better...

jamessuckling.com, 96 points: Aromas of blackberries, violets and dark fruits. Very aromatic. Full-bodied, round-textured and very balanced with both firmness and freshness. Energetic at the end. Drink or hold.

jamessuckling.com, 95 points: Fantastic aromas of red pepper, chocolate, chili, and blueberry. Medium to full body, fine tannins and a beautiful length and balance. A triumph for a difficult vintage in 2014. And the 20th vintage of this great pure...

Vinous, 98 points: Ama's 2015 L'Apparita is shaping up to be phenomenal. That is the good news. But readers are going to have to give the 2015 at least another 8-10 years before the wine starts to drink well, as today, the flavors are...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: The 2015 Merlot Northridge Vineyard wafts from the glass with complex aromas of red and black fruit compote, candied peel, tobacco leaf and loamy soil. On the palate, it's medium to full-bodied, rich and chewy, with a...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 94 points: Another sensational Merlot is the 2014 Merlot Stoneridge Vineyard, which also comes from the Wahluke Slope AVA in the middle of the state. This is a warm (hot) and dry terroir that consists of sandy loam and gravelly...

jamessuckling.com, 98 points: A deep and beautiful red with ripe berry, plum and orange peel character. Almost exotic in style. Full body, ultra-fine tannins and a caressing texture. Goes on for minutes. So beautiful now but will be event better in...

jamessuckling.com, 90 points: Soft and easy merlot with green olive, plum and cherry aromas and flavors. Medium to full body, firm tannins and a fresh finish. Drink now.

Vinous, 92 points: Ridge's 2014 Merlot Estate possesses notable purity of fruit, brilliant aromatic presence and fabulous balance. Pliant, open-knit and super-expressive, Ridge's Merlot is a terrific choice for readers who are just starting...

Vinous, 95 points: (VN 93-95 points) The 2016 Merlot is aromatically expressive and dense, a combination that is hugely appealing. Sage, mint, licorice, chocolate, lavender and black cherry jam run through this large-scaled, beautifully...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 95 points: I loved the 2014 Pedestal Merlot and it’s 81% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot. It offers a downright voluptuous and incredibly sexy style in its ripe blackcurrants, toasted spice, chocolate...

Wine Enthusiast, 92 points: Plush and dusty, this splendid Merlot offers unusual depth and texture, even for Washington versions of the much-maligned grape. Along with black cherry fruit come highlights of herb and olive, spicy oak and rich earth...

jamessuckling.com, 98 points: This has very fresh, lively and attractive wet earth and hints of black truffle and violets. The palate has a very deep, plush and velvety texture with a very fresh and fluid tannin structure, carrying long and fresh. The...

Vinous, 93 points: Dark ruby-red. Inviting dark perfume of cassis, blackberry and violet. Seriously concentrated, intense and sharply delineated, showing captivating floral lift to its very deep dark berry and licorice flavors. Still a bit...