CHATEAU STE. MICHELLE 2008 COLUMBIA VALLEY MERLOT ($16)
Always
a lover of Washington state wine, I have stated before with as much enthusiasm that I have not always been a lover of Merlot.
However when you get a Merlot from Washington state, you have to stop in your tracks and take a second taste. This is exactly
what I did with the Chateau Ste. Michelle 2008 Columbia Valley Merlot. So glad I did because I enjoyed this wine immensely.
That’s the thing with wine; you have to have an open mind and try even those varietals you think have overstayed their
welcome.
The wine had nice black fruit aromas. What are black fruits? They are black cherry,
plum, and blueberry. There was an earthiness to it I couldn’t quite place until I turned the bottle over and read that
it had been aged 15 months in oak. That’s what was lending the wine its earthy spiciness.
Mind you the wine has been
seasoned to flavor with 7% Syrah and 1% each Cabernet and Cabernet Franc. That’s also the thing with wine; it is created
like a fine recipe and sometimes needs a little fine tuning. I’m cool with the fine tuning because
the result is a turnaround on my Merlot musings.
