A delightful wine, the 2017 Merlot Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard begins with hints of oak aromas, dark red fruit skin, notions of smoked sage, a delicate rocky essence and red flowers. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is bold and dense for a Merlot yet possesses a balanced structure with succulent tannins and glides to a long-lingering finish.

Made with grapes grown in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, the 2016 Merlot Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard has tight red and black fruit aromas on the nose—dark cherry skin, black plum and black raspberry. Medium-bodied, the wine shows rigid tannins that clamp down on the palate, and the finish lingers with red fruits and grippy tannins. 3,810 cases were made.

Exhibiting aromas of black cherry, sweet currant fruit and spice, the 2015 Merlot Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard is medium-bodied and nicely balanced but somewhat innocuous and fleeting. With no hard edges and a juicy core of fruit, it's adapted to near-term consumption.

The 2014 Merlot Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard is another enjoyable wine from this estate and is 98% Merlot with just a splash of Cabernet Sauvignon. This plump, sweetly fruited, sexy effort gives up lots of plums, licorice, toasted spice and cedary notes in a delicious, hard to resist package. It’s ideal for drinking over the coming 3-4 years.

An impressive wine is the 2013 Merlot Canoe Ridge Estate. There’s 5% Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend and it spent 16 months in 59% new French and American oak. Possessing first-rate aromatics of plums, currants, licorice and damp earth, this medium to full-bodied, supple, charming Merlot has outstanding purity and surprising mid-palate density. It’s a sexy wine to drink over the coming 4-5 years.