2005 Merlot:

Awards and Accolades

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Acclaim Summary

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93 Points

Dusty, savory scents of tar and cedar complement a concentrated, sweet plum aroma. The flavors broaden into more complex terrain—dark plum… anise, clove, caramel and bread pudding flavors.

 

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Pick of the Palate

The lush and expansive fruit is remarkably complex, with hues of plum, currant, blackberry and blueberry, balanced by savory tones of tobacco leaf, black pepper, warm garden soil, and a dusting of toast. Deliciously balanced.

 

There may be no finer producer of Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot in the Northwest than Pepper Bridge Winery.


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Master Sommelier
Shayn Bjornholm’s Pick
Sipping this wine is like driving an Aston Martin on a silk highway.  The deceptive structure allows this winner from Jean-François to age gracefully… but no one would blame you for slurping this stunner laden with kicked dirt road, wild vanilla bean, and black plum — from Seven Hills and Pepper Bridge fruit — right away.

 

foodwine.gif   Terrific Washington State Reds:
   20 top bottles
“Pepper Bridge, founded in 1991, has been a key player in developing the reputation of Washington’s Walla Walla Valley region, and rightly so:  Anyone with doubts about Merlot should taste this seductive, velvety, chocolate-and-black-cherry red.”

“And the state is arguably the best source in the U.S. for Merlot – top Washington Merlots have a spicy complexity and lush depth that, if the world were fair, would negate the sad reputation this grape has been saddled with over the past few years.”

“In the case of some wineries – [Pepper Bridge included] – every single wine I tasted was first rate.”

 

Wine%20enthusiast-sm.gif91 points
The blend includes 9% Cabernet Sauvignon and 5% Malbec, all estate-grown. The aromas are intense and seductive, layered with flower, berry and clove.  Dense and youthful, the wine has compact black fruits, streaks of smoke and a strong flavor of clove.  It's a big wine, with mass and depth. The new oak is pulled back relative this winery's earlier vintages, to good effect, and the fruit can more than carry it.  It changes rapidly in the glass, suggesting that once it's past its baby fat stage it will show still more complexity, while retaining an elegant precision. 
 

Acclaim Archive

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