Synopsis, Our Opinion: A decent grocery store value Merlot.
Producer/Winery: Columbia Crest Winery; Paterson, Washington.
Grape Variety: Merlot.
Geographic Appellation, Region, Country: Columbia Valley, Washington.
Vintage: 2018
Price: $6.83 (with a 25% mixed case discount)
Purchased From: Harris Teeter Grocery Store; Kernersville, North Carolina.
Paired With: Baked Parmesan chicken, pasta with roasted tomato sauce and peas.
Tasting:
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Note: Every now and again, when we find a good sale, we purchase wine we know nothing about from the grocery store. This is one of those sale-price “pig in a poke” grocery store wines; however in this case we were familiar with this wine having had it about four years ago (see: Columbia-Crest Grand Estates Merlot 2013) and it has changed. We found the 2013 to be sweet, heavily oaked and have a distinct “New World” bold character.
Opened 90-minutes before drinking. Opaque, inky dark ruby/purple color with a lighter rim. Very faint fruit aroma. Smooth entry, slightly off dry and a rustic mouthfeel, medium body and an 80-grit texture. Light cherry and raspberry fruit flavor. Medium to light acidity, slightly raspy tannins and a very short, almost a non-existent spicy finish. Inexpensive merlot, but quite a weak bouquet and taste. It was smooth and easy drinking, but much was lacking. We found it better than many other bottles of Merlot on the grocery store shelf that can only be called sweet fruit bombs!!! It’s a decent grocery store value Merlot, but even at under $7 we only gave it two thumbs up, which says it all.
Photo from Columbia Crest.
Comments: Learn more about Columbia Crest and their wines.
See our reviews of other Columbia Creest wines.
Alcohol Content: 14.5%
Closure: Aluminum covered 45mm reconstructed cork.
UPC Code: 0 88586 40284 5
Imported by: Not applicable.