L'Ecole No. 41 Merlot Walla Walla Valley Estate Vineyard Seven Hills Vineyard 2007

The 2007 Merlot Seven Hills Estate has an expressive bouquet of toasty oak, cinnamon, clove, cassis, and black cherry. Dense and rich on the palate, this layered effort exhibits both power and elegance. Impeccably balanced, it will continue to blossom for several more years and provide a drinking window extending from 2011 to 2022.

The vineyard supplies grapes to many of Walla Walla's best wineries; L'Ecole does a bang-up job, placing dark, rich, roasted coffee flavors from new oak barrels against sweet, open, raspberry/cherry fruit. This new vintage is still angular and jangly; give it a few more months in the bottle and it will smooth out into a luscious delight.

Polished, generous, focused, not heavy but fleshy enough to show off its pure currant, cherry and dusky spice flavors. The finish lingers impressively, all the while keeping a refined balance. Drink now through 2010.

Rich, ripe and distinctive for its red cherry and red pepper grace notes to the plush core of currant and spice flavors, becoming broad and even more generous on the long finish. Drink now through 2008.

The medium to dark ruby-colored 2000 Merlot Columbia Valley offers a sumptuous nose of blueberries, blackberries, cherries, and spices. This softly textured, medium-bodied wine coats the taster's palate with copious quantities of red and black berries. It is well-balanced, fruit-forward, and expressive. Drink it over the next 5 years.

Smooth and velvety, with a lovely core of raspberry and currant flavors, shaded with green olive and subtle herbal notes as the finish lingers effortlessly and expressively. Drink now through 2013.