Reserve Merlot
⏳ Drinking Window
Typically best enjoyed 5–12 years from vintage release.
🍽️ Food & Wine Pairings
Grilled lamb chops, roasted duck, prime rib
✨ Technical Specifications
Columbia Crest's Reserve Merlot represents the pinnacle of the winery's red wine program, sourced from premier vineyard blocks within the Columbia Valley—most notably the sun-drenched, wind-swept slopes of the Horse Heaven Hills. Washington State's relationship with Merlot is legendary; the grape thrives in the region's dramatic diurnal temperature shifts, which seal in vibrant acidity while the intense daytime sun coaxes out rich, dark fruit flavors and velvety tannins. This Reserve bottling is crafted using traditional small-lot fermentation and extended aging in select French and American oak barrels. It pays homage to the pioneering spirit of Washington viticulture, proving that the state's terroir can produce world-class Merlot with exceptional structure, depth, and aging potential.
🍾 About the Producer
Established in 1982 by Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, Columbia Crest was the pioneer winery founded within what is now the acclaimed Horse Heaven Hills AVA of eastern Washington. Situated along the benchlands above the Columbia River, the estate takes full advantage of a semi-arid, rain-shadowed microclimate marked by intense summer sunshine, constant river breezes that deter frost and pests, and fast-draining, wind-blown Warden silt loam soils. Initial plantings in 1978 and early winemaking under founding cellar master Doug Gore established the winery's benchmark status for reliable varietal purity and commercial scale. The production regimen bridges large-scale precision with small-lot barrel fermentation and French and American oak aging. Columbia Crest cemented its reputation when its 2005 Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon won Wine Spectator's Wine of the Year. Today, the estate produces tiered selections ranging from the everyday Two Vines and Grand Estates labels to vineyard-driven Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon and Chardonnay expressions.
🍇 Grapes
Merlot
🍷 ABV
14.0-15.0%