Columbia Crest Merlot Columbia Valley Two Vines 2009

Columbia Crest has outdone itself with a wine of prodigious fruit extract and spicy new oak accents. Full-bodied and literally bursting with jammy, voluptuous currant and berry flavors, this young red shows remarkable balance and harmony as well as a smooth textbook Merlot finish. A quality wine with flavors everyone will enjoy.

Wonderful fresh layers of berry fruit with mouthfilling body and a refreshing finish make this Merlot one of America's most popular. Previous vintages have consistently scored as one of The Wine Spectator's Best Buys and have become a restaurant phenomenon throughout the US.

From Washington State comes an exceptional wine. There are smooth chocolate and berry flavors up front, and soft tannins following. If you like your Merlot really dry, so that it pulls on your palate, this is the wine for you. Though it will complement many dishes, it's enjoyable by itself.

Light in texture, with polished raspberry, tobacco and cedar flavors on a modest frame. Finishes with a pleasant meaty note. Drink now through 2003.

A bit leaner than most Washington Merlots, this well-priced bottling delivers a lively core of cherry and spice flavors, which enlarge nicely on the finish and linger. Tannins have a bit of grit to lose, so best after 2001.

Ripe raspberry and wild berry characters are pronounced in the nose and on the palate. Soft and luscious in the mouth; tastes beautiful now, but will grow increasingly complex with up to six years of bottle age.

The blend includes 6% Syrah, and the wine has a pretty plum and blueberry color, that (perhaps by the power of suggestion) carries through into the aromas. It's tight, tart, and clean, offering a mix of berry fruits and a finish lined with vanilla and tobacco. Overall the balance is excellent, the wine juicy and fresh, and the blend just about perfect.