1986 Columbia Crest Merlot poured with a rim heading towards orange/rust, palate smells like older Cab vs. Merlot with cedar, pencil, ash and dried red fruits. Not surprised it was alive, but surprised it drank well. Not great but good +.
2004 Tua Rita Giusto di Notri Rosso Toscana poured with little rim variation, nose of red and black fruits, spice and leather. Palate is fruit driven with black cherry and raspberry and acidity to balance.
2014 Rudius Cabernet Franc Sugarloaf Vineyard pours almost opaque, with a great nose of black fruits, spice, toast and purple florals. Palate is lithe and long with good tannin and acidity and palate length is quite long. Great version of Franc, bravo Jeff.
WA Merlot is the great secret…in WA we joke that we cut Merlot tannin with Cab, where in Napa they cut Cab tannin with Merlot. Some great old Ste Michelle and Columbia David Lake Merlot’s, even today if you like Cab, WA Merlot is great value.
1986 WA merlot…how cool is that? I’ve always liked Washington state merlot, but haven’t really had any new ones since the 1995-6 timeframe. Seems they want to concentrate on cabernet & syrah these days.
I misplaced a few Columbia Crest Merlots and Cabs from the mid to late 80’s vintages in the cellar some years ago…They were all around 20 yrs old by the time I found them about 10 years ago, …and they all were drinking quite nicely