2018 | Columbia Crest | H3 Merlot

Reserved aromas of pipe tobacco, licorice, vanilla and cherry lead to polished plum and red currant flavors. The focus is squarely on the fruit, and the balance is impressive. It's a sure-fire crowd-pleaser.

Producer Information

Columbia Crest is a Washington winery in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA within the Columbia Valley. It was established in 1983, and made its first release in 1984. Columbia Crest is one of the largest wineries in Washington, alongside Chateau Ste. Michelle. The parent company of both, Ste. Michelle Wine Estates, was sold by tobacco company Altria (Marlboro et al) in 2021 for $1.2 billion to a private equity firm. Columbia Crest makes a large range of wines, based largely on the Bordeaux varieties Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot. Chardonnay, Syrah, Sauvignon Blanc and Moscato also feature. Columbia Crest has extensive vineyard holdings in Washington, totalling around 2500 acres (1000 hectares). The dry climate in the Columbia Valley means that vines must be drip-irrigated to compensate for low annual rainfall. The majority of Columbia Crest's catalogue is at the inexpensive end of the scale, and wines are produced as part of three collections. The Reserve collection offers higher-end wines with fruit sourced from different Columbia Valley AVAs and includes varietal and blended wines. The 2005 Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon was named the Wine of the Year by Wine Spectator in 2009. The H3 collection is named for the Horse Heaven Hills AVA and all the fruit comes from vineyards in that AVA. The entry-level collection is named Grand Estate, and is made from fruit from the wider Columbia Valley AVA. In 2014 and 2015 Columbia Crest produced a "Crowd-Sourced Cabernet". An acre of Cabernet Sauvignon was set aside, and the winery's followers were able to log on to its website and vote in timed polls on decisions affecting the winemaking process.

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