pop & pour

Ever watched a movie where only the first half hour was good?

I’ve been trying to drink a little more Merlot.  It’s one of the best known and most classic grape varietals in the world, and it’s responsible for some of the most famous, memorable and expensive wines out there, but compared to Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah I drink relatively little of it, especially in unblended form.  When I found out that my new wine region man-crush, Washington State, was well known for its high-quality Merlots, I decided to dive in, and I scooped this 2005 Columbia Valley Merlot from an iconic Washington producer, Woodward Canyon.  It was on the pricier end of the wines I usually buy ($30-$40), but being from a pioneer of red wine in this area, I figured it was worth a shot.

Initial returns were positive when I opened the bottle:  the Merlot had a dark, thick, rich garnet colour and a thoroughly intriguing nose rife with strange and interesting flavours.  I was expecting sort of a “comfort wine” of straightforward soft ripe fruit, but I barely got any fruit on the nose, and what there was smelled cooked or stewed instead of fresh.  The primary aroma was a savoury, gamey smell of tomatoes, beets and beef jerky, blended with undertones of maple syrup, anise and a floral note that lingered throughout.  When that many secondary flavours come at you at once, you’re generally in for an interesting wine, so the Woodward Canyon seemed like it was setting itself up for a strong showing.  And then…

Cork Rating: 1.5/10 (I say boring-est cork so far.)

…Then, it just didn’t quite come through on the palate.  It was medium-to-full bodied and tasted of dark red fruit, coffee grounds and dark chocolate, but with only a hint of the meatiness that dominated the nose.  Most of the supporting aromas dropped off entirely as soon as the wine hit my tongue, which meant that it had a much thinner and hollower flavour profile than my first sniffs led me to believe (or hope).  It was also quite disjointed:  the fruit/coffee/chocolate flavours showed up initially, then started to fade away on the midpalate, and on the back end the acidity and alcohol both flared up sharply, leaving only a tangy sensation and a bit of heat on the finish.  Each component of the wine was impressive when viewed by itself — the body was lush and round, the acidity was surprisingly vibrant for a grape that I had always thought was sort of mellow in that regard, and the tannins were smooth and fine — but the way and order in which they presented themselves left a confusing impression, like the wine didn’t connect all the dots properly.  I wouldn’t say that the acidity and alcohol and tannin were out of balance to each other, but they weren’t showing up in harmony with each other, if that makes any sense.

All in all, a disappointing result from a wine that could have been a contender, and the annoying thing is that I don’t know who or what to blame.  Is the producer making a mediocre product?  Unlikely; they’re one of the best in the State.  Is Washington simply not good for Merlot?  Not according to anything I’ve read.  Was 2005 a bad vintage in Washington State?  My free Wine Spectator Vintage Chart iPhone app says otherwise (and I never doubt anything I read on the Internet).  So what’s up?  I have no idea, but I’m not spending another $35 to find out, and I wouldn’t suggest that you do either.

85 points

$30 to $40