Pedestal

This continues to set a high standard for Merlot in Washington and everywhere else in the country. Dark fruited, supple in the mouth, layered with blackberry, bitter chocolate, espresso and scented with toast and cured tobacco, it's a wine that may be enjoyed immediately but should continue to evolve over the next 15 years.

The 2020 ‘Pedestal’ combines 84% Merlot with 14% Cabernet Sauvignon and the remainder Petit Verdot. Stored for 22 months in nearly all new French oak, this Merlot opens with beautiful dark florals on the nose alongside Turkish coffee grounds, with shades of wild blackberry compote. The palate is soft and refined with a smooth mouthfeel and good sense of weight. Enjoy this outstanding wine now and over the next few years.

I loved the 2020 Merlot Pedestal, which makes the most of the vintage. Full-bodied aromas and flavors of ripe plums, chocolate, spicy oak, and graphite define the aromatics, and it’s concentrated, has ripe, chalky tannins, plenty of mid-palate depth, and a great finish. The blend is 84% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the balance Malbec, raised in 75% new French oak.

The 2020 Pedestal Merlot is dark and spicy, suggesting notes of dark chocolate and grilled herbs that give way to crushed blackberries and hints of camphor. It's luscious and round, with a measured inner sweetness and masses of ripe red and blue fruits that swirl throughout. This leaves a tart wild berry tinge and fine-grained tannins to linger. Finishing long with hints of mocha and sour orange, the 2020 steps lightly but leaves a big impact. Beautiful.

This has an earthy character with black cherries and plums, ground spices and cocoa. Medium to full-bodied with chalky tannins and plush dark fruits. Meaty, velvety and a little chewy at the end

The 2019 Pedestal Merlot was made with 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. The nose opens with a firm backbone of fresh and ripe black plums and dark cherries before delightful oaky essences sway from the glass with notions of baked earth. Full-bodied, the palate offers a firm mouthfeel that lifts with time to reveal a succulent tannic edge and juicy flavors of spiced plums and blackberry skin with brown baking spices, vanilla and nutmeg that resonate with vibrancy and power. The wine continues to evolve and reveal elegant complexities before ending with a long spicy finish with delightful oak tones.

I loved the 2019 Pedestal Merlot from Long Shadows, which is a mélange of 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Malbec. Showing terrific presence and balance from start to finish, it boasts mouthwatering notes of red and black cherries, marionberries, wet autumn leaves, cedary herbs, and shades of sweet vanilla bean. This elegant and balanced Merlot will drink perfectly for the next decade or more with proper cellaring. Highly recommended.

The 2019 Pedestal Merlot was stored in 80% new French oak for 22 months before bottling. Black Forest Cake and espresso grounds fill the nose alongside sandalwood tones. Silky on the mouth and showing refined tannins, this packs a punch despite the coolness of the vintage. The oak caresses the palate as the wine revels in its dense cassis, tar and black cherry cordial flavors alongside dark chocolate shavings. This has some terrific aging potential and give this an hour in the decanter if enjoying now.

The 2019 Pedestal Merlot is terrific, with a plump, round, medium to full-bodied style offering decadent Merlot red and black cherry fruit as well as notes of tobacco leaf, damp earth, and spicy aromas and flavors. It shows the cooler style of the vintage with its elegant, streamlined texture, is perfectly balanced, and will certainly keep for 10-15 years.

Gutsy yet refined, this red balances a broad-shouldered structure with rich, multilayered flavors of blackberry and currant. Offers accents of licorice and espresso while building tension toward big yet balanced tannins. Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec.

Blackberry, black cherry, charcoal and toasted herbs on the nose. Full-bodied with chewy tannins. Chocolate and crushed black fruit mix on the palate. Well structured and layered.

The 2019 Pedestal Merlot is darkly alluring with dusty blue-toned florals, wild berries, lavender and just a hint of mocha. This flows across the palate like pure silk, elegant and refined, yet youthfully sleek, displaying floral-laced blue fruits. This is such an incredibly pretty vintage of Pedestal.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Beautiful cassis, chocolate, leafy herbs, and earth all emerge from the 2017 Pedestal, a ripe, sexy, opulent wine that does everything right. A blend put together by Michel Rolland and aged 22 months in 86% new French oak, it's beautiful today yet is going to cruise in cool cellars for 15 years or more.

The 2017 Pedestal Merlot has a dense nose with a heavyweight expression and inky character in the glass. Offering blackberry jus, spiced plum preserves and dark cherry skin, the scents are lifted and compounded by rich, elegant oak spices, cigar box and juicy tobacco. Full-bodied, the wine is generously ripe and juicy with tones of graphite and a balanced structure, ending with a long, complex finish. The expression continues to evolve in the mouth after the wine has left the palate, showing elevated alcohol with dark blackberry tones, bitter dark chocolate and pencil shavings. Give it some time in the bottle before opening, or decant for an hour.

A wine made in conjunction with Michel Rolland who is a Pomerol vintner and consultant to some of the world’s best wineries. Coming from a blend of 82% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot, this gorgeous Merlot-dominated blend spends 22 months in French oak barrels, with 86% being new. A nose dominated by blackberry pie, earthy tobacco, burnt caramel and fresh leather tones combine with aromas of blue and black plums, dried violet flowers, caramelized orange and toasted cinnamon powder. The palate is lengthy and complex with layers of blue plums, red and black raspberry, cigar ash, tangerine zest and cedar. Acidity is medium plus and the chalky tannins are firm and will benefit from a few years in the bottle. Highly recommended.

A bittersweet chocolate aroma is at the fore, followed by notes of herbs, plum, cherry and carob. Rich, intense, plentiful fruit flavors follow. There's a lot of textural richness, upping the appeal. Give it some additional bottle age to see it at its best. Enjoy after 2024. Cellar Selection

The 2017 Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot is a scintillating release that is already beautifully evolved once in the glass. Made my famed oenologist Michel Rolland, they have blended 82% Merlot with 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 3% Petit Verdot. Rich dark fruit aromatics impress, alongside mocha, tar and purple rose petals. The palate is round and downright voluptuous with a massive core of espresso bean and black cherry compote, alongside black tea and exotic spices on the palate. Full-bodied and showing a downright opulent texture, this beautiful wine will cellar well for at least another fifteen years.

Musky aromas of dark raspberry, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate, smoky oak and menthol are serious and brooding for Merlot. Concentrated, plush and tactile on the palate, with dark raspberry, mocha, woodsmoke, menthol and subtle herb flavors conveying serious energy. Finishes subtle, spicy and very long, with firm but suave tannins giving the wine the backbone to evolve slowly and gracefully.

The 2016 Pedestal from Michel Rolland checks in as a blend of 75% Merlot, 21% Cabernet Sauvignon, and the rest Petit Verdot that spent 22 months in 85% new French oak. It has a rocking bouquet of smoked black fruits, espresso, chocolate, and tobacco that gives way to a full-bodied, plump, incredibly sexy red that does everything right. It's one serious mouthful of Merlot and should keep for 10-12 years.

The 2016 Pedestal Merlot has a precise nose of dusty plum, red flowers and soft oak tones with an elegant aroma of pencil lead fluttering about. The medium to full-bodied palate is clean and correct, with plush dark red fruit, dusty tannins, purple flowers and soft oak spices of vanilla, cardamom and nutmeg. The wine ends with a long, thoughtful, well-balanced finish that delivers complexity and pleasure simultaneously. Michel Rolland made this beauty of a bottle.

This has a distinctive, violet and plum nose in a classic Merlot style with subtle earthy complexity, too. The palate has a juicy and supple array of plush, succulent tannins and delivers an exceptionally fresh yet deeply flavorful finish. A Merlot-dominant blend with Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

The 2015 Pedestal is a blend of 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Petit Verdot aged 22 months in 85% new French oak barrels. Crème de cassis, wood smoke, scorched earth, and graphite characteristics all emerge from this rich, full-bodied, voluptuous beauty that has more mid-palate depth and richness than any other Merlot made in the state. With ample tannin, it will benefit from a year or three and keep for 15. It's a gorgeous wine.

The 2015 Pedestal is a rich, dramatic wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of black cherries, crème de cassis, cigar tobacco and mocha. On the palate, it's broad, full-bodied and lavish, with ripe, generously oak-inflected flavors and an ample core of fruit, structured by fine-grained but youthfully chewy tannins, concluding with a sweet, spicy and somewhat heady finish. The most exotic and expressive wine in the Long Shadows range, it's crafted by Michel Rolland.

A very vivid and pure red with aromas of blackberries and blueberries. Hints of violets and licorice, too. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Shows tension and focus. Give it two or three years to soften. Drink in 2020 or beyond.

High-toned exotic spice, dark raspberry and barrel aromas are followed by focused, supremely rich fruit flavors that lead to a warm finish. Firm tannins provide support. For those who question if Merlot can be a serious wine, this is your answer. Top 100 Wines of 2018

I loved the 2014 Pedestal Merlot. It offers a downright voluptuous and incredibly sexy style in its ripe black currants, toasted spice, chocolate and licorice aromas and flavors. Broad, expansive, layered and pleasure bent, with ripe tannin, it's a knockout Merlot that's going to have 10 -15 years of drinkability.

Complex aromas of cherry, tobacco, milk chocolate and licorice, plus a suggestion of iron-oxide minerality. Very suave and filled in but not at all heavy, with the lively red fruit and floral flavors given further lift by a minty nuance. Finishes broad and a bit youthfully medicinal, with fine-grained tannins and lovely length. This is excellent, but I'd give it another year or two before pulling the cork.

One of my favorites in the 2013 lineup is the 2013 Pedestal Merlot. Its deep purple color is followed by fabulous notes of plums, coffee beans, spice box and sweet oak in a full-bodied, decadent, ripe and expansive package. In general, Cabernet was more successful than Merlot in 2013, but you wouldn't know it by tasting this beauty.

Dark, bright ruby-red. Slightly liqueur-like aromas of raspberry, blackberry, black cherry and violet. Plush, densely packed and very pliant, offering just enough shape to its creamy flavors of dark plum, blackberry and spices. Really superb fruit here.

Probably the best vintage of this cuvée to date, and one of the top Merlots in Washington, the 2012 Pedestal, which includes 9% Cabernet Sauvignon, 5% Cabernet Franc and 5% Petit Verdot (aged 22 months in 85% new French oak), offers lots of minerality in its dark fruits, crushed herbs, licorice and crushed rock. Medium to full-bodied, with a great mid-palate and superb concentration, it has enough tannic structure to benefit from short-term cellaring, and have upward of two decades of overall longevity.

Red currant and darker berries complicated by graphite and licorice on the nose. Lush and seamless but with lovely inner-mouth lift and energy to its dark fruit and mineral flavors. This palate-staining Merlot will be a long ager. Finishes with big, tongue-coating tannins.

The Merlot-dominated 2011 Pedestal incorporates a small amount of Cabernet Sauvignon and gives up ripe, full-throttled aromas and flavors of plum liqueur, licorice, smoked herbs and hints of black ground meatiness to go with a full-bodied, up-front, layered and downright sexy feel in the mouth. Showing good concentration and an already delicious style, enjoy bottles over the coming decade or so.

A big, rich Merlot, the 2010 Pedestal offers knockout aromas and flavors of creme de cassis, black raspberry, crushed flowers, licorice and big minerality to go with a medium to full-bodied, supple and sexy palate that firms up beautifully on the finish. There’s big fruit here, yet overall, it remains perfectly balanced and has sound underlying tannic structure. Give it 3-4 years in the cellar and enjoy over the following decade or more.

Editors' Choice. A flat out yummy wine from the moment the cork is pulled, loaded with spice and thick, ripe, dense tannins. There's plenty of rich fruit to balance the depth of flavor from a generous mix of new French oak. It would be hard to find a better Merlot from anywhere at this price.

Round, generous and expressive, offering plum, loganberry, cherry and clove flavors that pick up hints of loam and floral character as they finish tightens its focus. Impressive for its length and deft balance. Highly Recommended, #11 ranking in their Top 100 Wines of 2012

Cellar Selection. Bay leaf and pretty herb scents introduce a wine that remains tightly wound. Black cherry and cassis flavors are set in a frame of smoky espresso. The tannins are polished, and the finish is deliciously long.

The 2008 release is made up of 81% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot, it was aged for 22 months in 85% new French oak. It reveals a nose of cedar, Asian spices, incense, cassis, and black currant. Structured and savory on the palate with spicy black fruit flavors, it has the balance to evolve gracefully for 2-3 years and will offer prime drinking from 2013 to 2023.

Good bright ruby-red. Sexy burnished red currant, minerals and flowers on the nose, complicated by chocolate and graphite. Lush, ripe and broad, with layered flavors of cassis, black cherry and licorice. Large-scaled, dense and airy, and not at all overly sweet. Finishes very long, with broad, dusty tannins and excellent structure. This really echoes on the aftertaste. A very successful and sophisticated Washington Merlot made under the direction of Michel Rolland. Perhaps the best vintage to date for this bottling.

Firm in texture, with a moderate grip of tannins surrounding dark berry, black currant and licorice flavors, lingering gently and persistently. One sip demands another.

The 2007 release is composed of 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, with the balance Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot aged for 20 months in 80% new French oak. It reveals a fragrant nose of sandalwood, incense, sage, cinnamon, black cherry, and black currant. Elegant on the palate despite its ample size, it is loaded with succulent fruit set off by enough ripe tannin to support an additional 3-4 years of cellaring. It will deliver prime drinking from 2013 to 2027.

Aromatically pure and focused, brimming with blackberry and currant fruit shaded with white pepper and allspice. Hints at wet earth as the finish persists impressively. It seems like this can go on for a long time in the cellar. Drink now through 2017.

The ripeness is immediately noticeable in the liquorous nose. Supple and smooth in the mouth, it shows a blend of pretty purple fruits and polished tannins, layered with barrel flavors emphasizing espresso and strong toast. Classic Michel Rolland, inviting and generous.

Purple-colored, it offers an alluring bouquet of sandalwood, pencil lead, spice box, incense, black currants, and black cherry.. Seamless on the palate, this plush wine has layers of ripe, savory flavors, well-concealed tannin, excellent aging potential, and a 60-second finish.

Dark and spicy with a tarry edge to the blackberry and currant fruit, emerging on the never-ending finish with richness, polish and elements of spice, pepper and an extra whoosh of cherry. It all keeps sailing effortlessly.

Deep crimson-colored, it offers an enticing perfume of toasty new oak, pencil lead, spice box, clove, allspice, red currants and black cherry. Seamless on the palate, the wine has gobs of ripe, savory flavors, well-concealed tannin, excellent aging potential, and a long, pure finish.

Opaque purple in color, this superb Merlot offers a classic perfume of pain grille, spice box, black cherry, and blackberry. This is followed by a rich, intensely flavored wine with great depth, concentration, and length.

Dense and focused, yet balances deftly enough to let the currant, cherry and black raspberry fruit pierce through a veil of crisp tannins. Has power without excessive weight. The finish lingers extraordinarily well.

The 2003 Pedestal (553 cases) sports a deep nose of ripe cherries and toasty oak. Fashioned from 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, 7% Cabernet Franc, and 3% Petit Verdot, this beauty broadens on the palate to reveal lush layers of thick, silky-textured red fruits. Pure, concentrated, and medium to full-bodied, it is an engaging, hedonistic wine.

Big, rich and generous, a lavish mouthful of currant, blackberry and a touch of spice and earth that weave through the finish and linger.