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2017 Spring Valley Vineyard Mule Skinner Merlot

Not Currently In Auction

Latest Sale Price

March 5, 2023 - $26

Estimate

RATINGS

91Stephen Tanzer

Slightly herbaceous aromas of currant, tobacco leaf, menthol, milk chocolate and spices, plus a note of rose petal. Then fine-grained and rather suave in the mouth, with the herbal element carrying through.

91James Suckling

A red with ripe-berry and floral aromas. It’s a little lifted. Medium body, round and polished tannins and a medium finish. A medium-velvety texture.

90The Wine Advocate

The wine is medium-bodied and focused in the mouth, with a spiced center across the mid-palate. As the wine opens on the palate, it shows an open-knit expression that has soft elements of fern and dusty notes that build with food-friendly acidity. The finish is rich and still tight, with a clean core that will last for more than a decade.

REGION

United States, Washington, Walla Walla Valley

Walla Walla Valley AVA likes to call itself the Napa Valley of Washington, and given the concentration of well-reviewed wineries in the appellation, the comparison is understandable. The Walla Walla appellation is comprised of 340,000 acres, of which 1,200 acres are vineyards. Walla Walla is located in the southeastern corner of Washington and it extends slightly into northeastern Oregon. It is named after the Walla Walla River Valley, and the city of Walla Walla is the commercial center of Washington’s wine industry. The city was founded in the 1840s by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post, but as early as the 1850s farmers were planting grapes for winemaking. Prohibition shuttered winemaking in the early 20th century, but a winemaking renaissance started in the 1970s when Leonetti Cellars, still one of the state’s most acclaimed wineries, started producing acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon. Walla Walla’s AVA status was awarded in 1984 and today there are more than 100 wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most frequently planted grape, followed by Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese Chardonnay and Viognier.

TYPE

Red Wine, Merlot

The Merlot grape is such a deep blue that it is named for the blackbird. It’s an early ripening grape and one of the primary varietals used In Bordeaux. Merlot is also grown in the "International style," which is harvested later to bring out more tannins and body.