Merlot from USA

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, 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.

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, 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, 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...

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...

Vinous, 94 points: The 2014 Merlot Reserve Mailbox Vineyard is plump, juicy and inviting. Dark stone fruit, tobacco and leather are sketched in broad strokes. Pliant and open-knit, the 2014 will drink well pretty much upon release. This...

Wine Enthusiast, 93 points: Reduced and brimming in barrel oak, this is a full-bodied, concentrated and age-worthy wine, flavored in strong layers of baked plum, cinnamon and soy. As it opens, generous helpings of blueberry and fig figure into the...

Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, 93 points: A soft, sexy and luxuriously textured red, the 2014 Walla Walla Merlot (there’s 6% Cabernet Franc in the blend) is loaded with perfectly ripe notes of black currants, lead pencil shavings, charred earth and chocolate...

Vinous, 95 points: 95+ Blankiet's 2014 Rive Droite Paradise Hills Vineyard is just as impressive from bottle as it was from barrel. Dark, rich and inviting, the 2014 wraps around the palate with pure sensuality and class. Dark stone...