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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Drinking window: Drink between 2009 and 2014 (based on 6 user opinions) |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 87.9 pts. and median of 88 pts. in 32 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Doctor Koulodare on 6/29/2018 & rated 85 points: Good for a weeknight - not much more (1213 views) | | | Tasted by mrmedoes on 4/28/2012 & rated 84 points: Fruit has fallen flat leaving just strong acidity since our last bottle... Showing signs of being past its prime - never was the best but was much more palatable in prior tastings. (4841 views) | | | Tasted by BrandrB on 2/11/2012 & rated 88 points: Dark garnet color. Ripe dark cherry and spice aromas aromas. Medium bodied palate: dark berries, black cherry, spice, and oak. Smooth medium length finish. Continues to drink quite well. Excellent all-round! (4984 views) | | | Tasted by BrandrB on 11/2/2011 & rated 88 points: Still drinking quite well. Dark red color. Beautiful nose with black cherry, spice, and leather aromas. Medium-full bodied palate: dark cherry, blackberries, spice, oak. Good complexity. Smooth medium-long finish. This was one of our wedding wines and we open a bottle around each anniversary in November, year after year this continues to improve. (4996 views) | | | Tasted by sichuanpeppercorn on 6/1/2010 & rated 87 points: Lacked great fruit was somewhat acidic with sour Berry flavors and modest finish (6214 views) | | | Tasted by Loren Sonkin on 1/31/2010 & rated 90 points: Merlots on a Saturday Afternoon: I had not had a wine from this winery in 6 vintages. Ruby/purple in color. The nose is tight but with air it has leather and black cherries. Soft, yet a nice complexity. Layered black raspberries. Blind, I thought this would have been a bit older but certainly drinking very well. Soft, smooth tannins. I liked this wine, but would not cellar long term. (6669 views) | | | Tasted by ethralls on 1/4/2010 & rated 89 points: Nose of hint of coffee and black fruit. Blackerry on the palate and good mouthfeel. Very fruity (3187 views) | | | Tasted by bkarney on 8/26/2009 & rated 89 points: wonderful wine, powerhouse of a merlot. drank with Kim with Greek Islands food. excellent all around 89+ (3052 views) | | | Tasted by bkarney on 7/21/2009 & rated 89 points: dark in color and fruit, very tannic, great nose. pretty complex, alc in check. a very good merlot sure to get much better. (3038 views) | | | Tasted by MCUBEB on 5/19/2009 & rated 90 points: good mouthfeel with notes of caramel with good acidity. The tanins are chewey which I liked in
this wine. (3414 views) | | | Tasted by CADomer on 5/13/2009 & rated 88 points: Nice dark fruits with a rich and smooth mouthfeel and finish. As this wine was open some of the new oak really started to come forward, but I think this wine is still pretty young and will integrate further as it develops over the next few years. (3453 views) | | | Tasted by Hazeo on 3/28/2009 & rated 88 points: Dark chocolate and cherries. With a bitter and tannic finish. (3534 views) | | | Tasted by subtlet on 2/12/2009 & rated 89 points: Well integrated with nice fruit flavors. The finish is clean. Nothing really over the top, but no complaints either. The fruit on the mid palatte is quite enjoyable. (3501 views) | | | Tasted by gripNsip on 2/11/2009 & rated 89 points: Got first place in a 7 bottle merlot/merlot-blend tasting at my wine storage. Nice big, lush merlot fruit, full-figured and smooth into a nice clean finish. Not being a huge fan of Merlot in general I liked this wine, and it was easy to enjoy. The fruit is at full presentation and easy to understand. A tad simple yet very delicious. A bit on the sweet side, I like that it is not over the top like some wines in this category are. (3541 views) | | | Tasted by BrandrB on 11/8/2008 & rated 87 points: 80% Merlot, 12% Cab Franc, 5% Petit Verdot, 3% Cab Sauv. Awesome nose, right now the best part of this wine. A full-bodied Merlot with a dense palate of dark cherry flavors alongside a nice spicy and herbal elements. Nice dark fruits on the dry finish. Not quite performing where I expected right now at this price-point, but this is unquestionably a young and tight wine. I’m looking forward to coming back over the next few years. (3422 views) | | | Tasted by EMichels on 11/8/2008 & rated 86 points: Eastern Washington: Nice ripe licorice nose; Tiny bit green; Tight; Dark colored flavors (4754 views) | | | Tasted by norsktorsk on 10/23/2008 & rated 90 points: Dark and fruit forward. Full mid palate with some tannins that need time to evolve. (3574 views) | | | Tasted by garambler on 9/1/2008 & rated 87 points: We had this with grilled pork on 9/1/08. It had aromas of cherry, currant, pepper, toast and a green, vegetal component. On the palate, it was mildly dry with strong tannins...flavors of cherry, currant, pepper & toast...loads of pepper! It had a fairly long finish (I didn't time it). It was OK, but certainly nothing special. I won't buy anymore. (2824 views) | | | Tasted by MikeHines on 7/6/2008 & rated 85 points: This wine looks and smells great, but give it quite a bit of time to breathe to get the most out of it this year. Not quite as well blended as the nose would suggest and a touch sharp at the finish cost this wine a star and 3 points on my scale. I think this will do quite well if opened a year from now. Let breathe for 3 hours if opening in '08. Color 1-3:3; Nose 1-4:3; Taste 1-8:5; Overall 1-5:3 Total 0-20: 14 (4141 views) | | | Tasted by aces219 on 3/14/2008: complex compared to many other Washington merlots (3693 views) | | | Tasted by walshbr on 2/17/2008 & rated 88 points: Enjoyed with dijon crusted lamb. Smooth and fruity from the open. Although merlot is not my favorite varietal, I really enjoy this wine. It has body and complexity. (3862 views) | | | Tasted by peternelson on 12/29/2007 & rated 88 points: Winery: Pure brite cassis, blue,blk; hint smoeky, juicy frt mth! good structure, good basic juicy guy. (1136 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| L'Ecole No. 41 Producer websiteMerlotMerlot is a dark blue–colored wine grape variety, that is used as both a blending grape and for varietal wines. The name Merlot is thought to be a diminutive of merle, the French name for the blackbird, probably a reference to the color of the grape. Its softness and "fleshiness", combined with its earlier ripening, makes Merlot a popular grape for blending with the sterner, later-ripening Cabernet Sauvignon, which tends to be higher in tannin.USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.Washington Washington Wine Commission | Credit to Washingtonwine.org for this article
Washington Wine
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Wineries
With 30,000+ acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, the vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While its focus is on Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular whites and reds.
Growers
Winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for their consistently high quality. Many of them have received scores of 90 and above from the major wine media. Overall this is a higher percentage than other leading wine regions.
Regions
As the state's fourth largest fruit crop, the Washington wine industry is an important contributor to the long-term preservation of Washington agriculture. The industry is committed to sustainable agricultural practices and conservation of water resources.
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Varieties
Washington produces more than 20 wine grape varieties - a ratio of 56 percent white to 44 percent red. As the industry matures and experiments, it finds many grape varieties that thrive throughout Washington's microclimates. There are more than 16,000 vineyard acres of red wine varieties statewide.
History & Vintages
Washington's wine future is limitless. As consumers discover the quality of Washington wines, demand continues to grow nationally and internationally. New acreage and wine varietals are being planted and new wineries are opening at a remarkable pace. Washington State is recognized as a premium viticultural region around the world.
State Facts
Washington's wine industry generates more than $3 billion to the state economy. It employs more than 14,000 people, directly and indirectly, with projections to add nearly 2,000 more jobs by 2006. In terms of tax revenues accrued to the state and federal government, wine grapes are among the highest tax generators of any agricultural crops. Furthermore, Washington wine tourism attracts nearly two million visitors annually contributing to the positive growth of local and regional economies.
Washington State - the perfect climate for wine = ideal growing conditions, quality wines, business innovation, lifestyle, and social responsibility. All are key elements of this world-class wine industry.
Vintages
"2008 and even more so 2010 and 2011 were cool, even cold vintages (think: 2002 in the Barossa) without the extreme ripeness, extract and higher alcohol that had become the norm in the state’s post 1995 world. 2008 was manageable but the duo of 2010/2011 nearly caused a “great depression” in Washington State." - Jon RimmermanColumbia Valley Columbia Cascade Winery Association
The Columbia Valley AVA lies mostly in Washington state, with a small section in Oregon. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan National Forest forms a border with the AVA and Canada. It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla River, the Snake River, and the Yakima River. The Columbia valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than wine regions of California receive. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters.Columbia Valley Columbia Valley Winery Association |
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