L’Ecole No. 41 Merlot Columbia Valley 2021

L’Ecole always delivers extra quality for the cost of the bottle, especially with Washington having the best growing conditions for Merlot outside of Bordeaux. This is textbook Merlot with a nose of plums, dark chocolate, leather, figs and cola nut. Eighteen months of barrel aging provides cocoa and a softening of tannins, while keeping a full-bodied structure and a long finish.  Composed of 84% Merlot, 12% Cabernet Franc, 2% Malbec and 2% Petit Verdot.