Tuesday, November 8, 2022

2020 Seven Hills SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot

Well, it's selection day and I am voting for wine!  Tonight I've opened a bottle of wine from my latest wine club shipment from one of my favorite Walla Walla wineries which just arrived today!  The 2020 Seven Hills SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot is a single varietal wine made from grapes harvested from the original estate Merlot blocks planted by the McClellan family in the early 1980s.  So, let's see how this young wine is shaping up!

2020 Seven Hills SHW Founding Vineyard Merlot

The wine is a deep ruby color in the glass, just as you'd expect from a quality Merlot.  A gentle swirl of the glass reveals aromas of leather, black cherry, currant and a bit of toasted oak that makes you envision an old estate library.  Take a sip and you're awash in ripe black fruit, blackberry, cherry and currant that awaken your senses, before transitioning effortlessly to some vanilla bean and dried herb notes midpalate.  The tannins are as mellow as the finish, which is very dry and velvety smooth.

Rare grilled bison ribeye, grilled leeks, oven roasted fingerling sweet potatoes and maple bacon roasted Brussels sprouts

Overall, I would rate this wine a solid 9, as it's drinking wonderfully now, but likely would improve with a few years in the cellar.  This wine would pair well with a hearty steak, roast pork tenderloin, or spicy chili, just in time for the temperatures to fall.  Tonight, I am enjoying this wine with a rare grilled bison ribeye along with some grilled leeks, oven roasted fingerling sweet potatoes and maple bacon roasted Brussels sprouts.  Cheers!

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