Happy Saturday! It's been a relaxing day for me, just enjoying some time with friends this morning and spending time reading this afternoon, I guess now it's time to enjoy a nice glass of wine. Tonight I've decided to open the most recent vintage of Merlot from the Pepper Bridge Winery, the 2018 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla Valley Merlot. This wine is a blend of Merlot (81%), Cabernet Franc (13%) and Malbec (6%) from the Seven Hills, Pepper Bridge and Octave Vineyards in the Walla Walla Valley AVA of Washington. So, let's see what this wine has to offer!
The wine is a beautiful deep ruby color in the glass, classic for the varietal. Raise a glass and you're greeted with essence of blue and black fruit, blueberry, cherry and plum with lingering aromas of green cedar and dusty loam. Take a sip and you're greeted with a rush of fruit, blackberry, cherry and plum with flavors of toffee and smoky oak midpalate. The tannins are smooth and supple, creating a voluptuous mouthfeel and setting the stage for a long, smooth and very dry finish that seems to linger for a minute or more.
Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's just a classically built Washington Merlot that lends itself to quiet sipping or boisterous meals. This wine would pair well with the classics, steaks and chops, lamb and roasts, or hearty risotto. Tonight I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled filet mignon on a bed of grilled leeks, along with some mashed potatoes with a red wine demiglace and asparagus with Hollandaise. Cheers!
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