BUYING GUIDE - Wine Enthusiast Magazine

ished and firm, and the acidity keeps it fresh and lively.
—P.G.
abv: 14.5% Price: $35
90
Maryhill 2009 Proprietor’s Reserve Malbec
(Columbia Valley). For full review see
page 10.
abv: 13.3% Price: $25
90
Walla Walla Vintners 2009 Pepper Bridge
Vineyard Malbec (Walla Walla Valley).
This pure Malbec carries spicy, slightly gamy scents
similar to Syrah. Forward purple fruits fill the mouth,
accented with notes of licorice, moist earth and dried
herb. The finish leaves an impression of maple syrup,
which is quite delicious. —P.G.
abv: 14.2% Price: $32
89
Lookout Point 2008 Malbec (Columbia
Valley). A dark and chewy Malbec, this displays
a well-balanced mix of black fruits. Acids accent
the wine like a wash of citrus. It’s young and still pulling
itself together, but the material and styling are excellent.
—P.G.
abv: NA Price: $18
88
Waterbrook 2009 Reserve Malbec (Columbia
Valley). Juicy, tart and tightly wound,
this pure Malbec has a core of wild, brambly berry and
light plum. Nicely managed oak aging (28% new) brings
in a lick of smoky caramel, clove and coffee. The flavors
fall off a little too quickly on the finish. —P.G.
abv: 13.9% Price: $22
87
Gamache Vintners 2008 Estate Malbec
(Columbia Valley). The mix of fruits here is
unusual, with flavors of citrus, stone fruit and berry all
in play. A pure Malbec, with lots of acid and a tightly
wound middle, it should smooth out a bit with more
time in bottle. —P.G.
abv: 14.7% Price: $28
87
Three Rivers 2009 Malbec (Columbia Valley).
The production of Malbec at Three Rivers
has risen dramatically, and the new vintage seems considerably
lighter and less complex than it previously did.
Fruity and forward, it shows black cherry and cola flavors,
with a light streak of licorice. —P.G.
abv: 14.8% Price: $29
MERLOT
92
Dumas Station 2008 Estate Merlot (Walla
Walla Valley). Three quarters Merlot, with
17% Cabernet Franc and 8% Cabernet Sauvignon, this
is a bit lighter than the 2007 Merlot, but just as good,
if not better. Lush and loaded with black cherry, blackberry,
cocoa and baking spices, it extends deliciously
and seamlessly into a long, ripe, smooth finish. Editors’
Choice. —P.G.
abv: 14.7% Price: $28
91
Camaraderie 2008 Reserve Merlot (Columbia
Valley). This reserve spends 30
months in barrel. It has lovely aromatics, with subtle
suggestions of tobacco and clove woven through the
base of ripe black cherry and cassis. The tannins are
polished, and the finish lends a thread of iron. Cellar
Selection. —P.G.
abv: 14.6% Price: $38
91
Fidelitas 2009 Merlot (Columbia Valley).
Merlot is certainly one of the real strengths at
Fidélitas, and two different versions are offered. This
broad and flavorful effort has pretty cherry fruit backed
with pleasing baking spices. The finish is focused and
precise, adding streaks of cinnamon and chocolate. Editors’
Choice. —P.G.
abv: 14.6% Price: $25
91
Three Rivers 2008 Champoux Vineyard
Merlot (Horse Heaven Hills). A
standout from the first sniff, this powerful Merlot displays
dark fruits across a broad, lush midpalate. Textural
and tongue coating, it lifts the tannins with flavors of cacao,
coffee and cedar from barrel aging. Excellent integration
and length. Cellar Selection. —P.G.
abv: 14.9% Price: $39
90
Camaraderie 2009 Merlot (Washington).
Deliciously full and fleshy, this lusty, muscular
Merlot brings boatloads of dark cherry fruit and seams
of rich cacao. Tannins are firm and slightly chalky, but
the overall structure and length suggest a decade of life
ahead. Editors’ Choice. —P.G.
abv: 14.5% Price: $28
90
Pepper Bridge 2009 Merlot (Walla Walla
Valley). Spicy, peppery and still a bit sharp, this
Merlot-dominated blend includes fruit from both estate
vineyards—Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge. It shows
the seamless polish that marks all of Jean-François Pellet’s
wines. The finish is focused and long, with delicious
highlights of cinnamon and dark chocolate. —P.G.
abv: 14.1% Price: $50
89
Fielding Hills 2009 RiverBend Vineyard
Merlot (Wahluke Slope). A whiff of volatility
brightens up the aromas of this ripe Merlot. The structure
is tight and compact, and the acidity is substantial.
Clean fruit flavors of red and black berries can be found,
but this is a year in which all of the Fielding Hills wines
would benefit from a bit more bottle age to knit together.
—P.G.
abv: 16.1% Price: $36
89
Walla Walla Vintners 2009 Merlot (Walla
Walla Valley). A chocolaty delight, this is
a soft and smoky style of Merlot. The dark fruit flavors
are accented with some toasted, slightly charred notes,
and cinnamon spices. As very good as it is, the mouthfeel
seems just a little broad as it flattens out the finish.
—P.G.
abv: 14.2% Price: $28
88
Eight Bells 2009 Roosevelt Red Merlot
(Yakima Valley). This has pretty fruit flavors
of plums and spicy black cherries. At first the wine
seems sharp and slightly warm, but it mellows with air.
—P.G.
abv: 14.2% Price: $18
88
Fidelitas 2009 Merlot (Red Mountain).
Surprisingly, this Red Mountain Merlot is rather
light and tart, showing cranberry fruit with a streak
of smoke. The tannins are peppery and earthy, with a
hint of stem; a European style, with poise and good balance.
—P.G.
abv: 14.7% Price: $50
88
Sinclair Estate Vineyards 2009 Merlot
(Columbia Valley). This shows a strong Bourbon
barrel flavor from the new oak that is still being integrated
into the fruit. Tart wild-berry flavors surfacewith
air, but the impression is of a high-acid, sharplydefined
Merlot; it’s structured for aging. —P.G.
abv: 14.3% Price: $35
87
Adamant Cellars 2008 Winemaker’s Select
Merlot (Walla Walla Valley). Sourced
from the Spofford Station Vineyard, this pure Merlot
offers medium concentration, with mixed blueberry
and plum fruits, and a suggestion of some raisiny fruit
as well. All neutral oak was used, imparting no barrel
flavors. —P.G.
abv: 14.8% Price: $35
87
Maryhill 2009 Proprietor’s Reserve Merlot
(Columbia Valley). This young Merlot
shows some muscle and some stem; the tannins and the
herbal flavors override the fruit, which has a sweet cherry-candy
character. Further bottle age should help pull
it together. —P.G.
abv: 14.5% Price: $25
87
Tertulia Cellars 2008 Pepper Bridge Vineyard
Merlot (Walla Walla Valley). Hard and
showing an herbal edge, this single-vineyard Merlot will
require some further bottle age and/or decanting. It
drinks more like a Cabernet than a Merlot, with a green
slant to the tannins. —P.G.
abv: 14.9% Price: $28
86
Gamache Vintners 2008 Estate Merlot
(Columbia Valley). Hard and tannic at first,
this young wine grudgingly reveals a core of very tart
cherry fruit, encased in flavors of stem and wood. A
coffee-infused finish does not conceal the chewy, tough
tannins. —P.G.
abv: 14.7% Price: $24
86
Two Mountain 2008 Merlot (Yakima Valley).
This Yakima Valley Merlot is forward and
light, with a dried leaf character complementing the
fruit flavors of melon and strawberry. A peppery note
strikes home in the finish, with just a hint of Band-Aid.
—P.G.
abv: 13.7% Price: $22
85
Gifford Hirlinger 2008 Estate Merlot
(Walla Walla Valley). A candied nose introduces
light fruit and there’s and impression of some residual
sugar on the finish. With extra breathing time tobacco
and vanilla notes emerge, but the fruit is ephemeral.
—P.G.
abv: 14.2% Price: $22
85
Maryhill 2009 Merlot (Columbia Valley).
Soft and lightly fruity, this has an underlying
chalkiness. That chalky sensation runs across the
palate and seems to mute the other flavors, such as
herb, which are on the light side. —P.G.
abv: 14.2% Price: $17
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