The Wine: 2013 Reserve Merlot
The Price: $25.00
Waterbrook is a Washington State winery, located in Walla Walla. Waterbrook is one of Washington's early wineries, opening their doors in 1984. They are a winery that I discovered long ago - probably 16 years or so. They were the first winery to get me beyond the $5 bottle mentality. I reviewed one of their wines in 2009, so it is time for another go around.
The Waterbrook Reserve Merlot is made from 100% Merlot grapes. The grapes are sourced from three vineyards: Mirage, Canyon Vineyard Ranch and Pepper Bridge, all in the Columbia Valley AVA. The wine is aged for 22 months in a blend of American Oak (94%) and French Oak (6%). Each vintage is aged in 25% new oak barrels. The wine was stopped with a natural cork and decanted an hour before tasting.
The Wine is a very deep purple in color, with just a slight hint of brown. It has aromas of cherry, vanilla, dried plum, and a very slight hint of black pepper. It has a pronounced cherry flavor with a strong vanilla back. It has more subtle tones of raspberry, pepper and oak. The wine is very good and drinkable today, but it has pronounced tannins and a bit of a bite that should yield an even better wine after a few years in the cellar.
