You’ve no doubt heard that Washington is a go-to spot for domestic Merlot, and it’s largely because of bottles like this one. Sourcing two estate vineyards — Ferguson and Seven Hills — it lets vibrant acidity carry expressive Merlot flavors that get a boost from gentle oak spice and a streak of earthy minerality. It could slide into a right bank Bordeaux tasting undetected as a rogue and have no trouble acquitting itself.
L’Ecole No. 41, Walla Walla Valley (Washington) Merlot 2017
By Rich Cook