Pedestal Non Vintage

2018 2018 Pedestal

$65.00 / Bottle Sold Out

Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world's top wineries, provided the vision for this limited production Merlot.

Tasting Notes:

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A concentrated and layered wine offering dark fruit aromas with a hint of tobacco. The mouthfeel is opulent, with luscious wild blackberry and chocolate-covered black cherry woven around an appealing note of spicy clove. Beautifully complex, the flavors and weight of the wine combine to leave a rich, satisfying finish.

95 Points

The 2018 Pedestal is another great vintage from this cuvée, which has the final blend put together by Michel Rolland. Offering a wonderfully pure, perfumed nose of black and blue fruits, chocolate, leafy herbs, and flowers, these all carry over to the palate, where the wine is medium to full-bodied and has a seamless texture and a great finish. I’d be happy to drink a bottle any time over the coming 15 years.

— Jeb Dunnuck
96 Points

An utterly spectacular showing from this exciting vintage, the 2018 Pedestal Merlot is crafted from 92% Merlot and the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec. This revels in its Turkish coffee aromas, while sandalwood, dark currants, chocolate fudge and blueberry compote round out the bouquet. The wine dazzles on the palate, showing a hedonistic bent with an intense mouthfeel and glorious length. Unabashedly big, but the acidity and firm tannins hold the gorgeous core of blue and dark fruits in place.

— Decanter
93 Points

Each winemaker at Long Shadows makes a single wine, with famed consultant Michel Rolland the architect of this one. The aromas boast notes of coffee, spice and dried dark cherry. The flavors are luscious, rich and intense. There's plenty of tannic structure to support it all. Cellar Selection.

— Wine Enthusiast
96 Points

On the nose this shows an intoxicating bouquet of black currant jelly, espresso bean and shades of black licorice candy. The mouthfeel captured here is exquisite as the Merlot seamlessly glides across the mid-palate delivering a decadent core of dark fruits, black licorice, black peppercorn and espresso ground tones.

— Vinous, Owen Bargreen
95 Points

A Merlot that is concentrated and structured in all the best ways, this is a stunning effort from consulting winemaker Michel Rolland from Pomerol and a consultant to the world’s top wineries. Gorgeous in the glass with dark purple and ruby tones and a neon rim. With notes of dark chocolate-covered cherry, dried rosemary, old leather, a hint of wet earth, and just a speck of menthol, this wine always over-delivers.

— International Wine Report
Varietal Composition 82% Merlot 14% Cabernet Sauvignon 4% Malbec
Acid 0.43 grams / 100 ml
pH 3.75
Alcohol 15.2%

Vineyards

Like previous vintages, the 2018 Pedestal Merlot was predominately grown on the Wahluke Slope, a warm area of the Columbia Valley that produces Merlot with layers of fresh, dark fruit and beautiful aromatics. A small amount of Merlot from Dionysus Vineyard helped build layers and complexity. Red Mountain’s Tapteil Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon added backbone. Malbec from Sonnet Vineyard contributed concentration and pretty violet aromatics.

Explore Past Pedestal Vintages in The Library →