1999 Canoe Ridge Columbia Valley Merlot

Canoe Ridge is a 181-acre estate in the Horse Heaven Hills appellation of southern Washington, near the Columbia River. The vineyards, considered among the best in Washington, were planted in 1989 by a collective of wine producers and farmers. The Canoe Ridge winery opened in 1994. After several ownership changes the estate was purchased in 2011 by Precept Wine, a privately-held wine company based in Seattle. Canoe Ridge grows Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Malbec, Syrah, Chardonnay, Petite Verdot and Cabernet Franc, among other grapes. The winemaker is Bill Murray, who grew up in Napa Valley and worked there before moving to Washington.

Columbia Valley AVA is larger than some states. At 18,000 square miles, or 11 million acres, the appellation covers almost half of Washington State and a small part of Oregon on the south side of the Columbia River. Established in 1984, Columbia Valley contains numerous sub appellations within its boundaries, including Yakima Valley AVA and Walla Walla AVA, both large and important wine districts. Columbia Valley AVA, generally called the Columbia Basin by Pacific Northwesterners, is in the Columbia River Plateau, and the AVA also includes a section of northeastern Oregon. There are dozens of microclimates within this appellation of about 7,000 vineyard acres. Many kinds of grapes are grown in the Columbia Valley, though the principal grapes planted are Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Chardonnay, Riesling, Syrah, Pinot Gris and Sauvignon Blanc. Eastern Washington experiences very hot summers and cold winters, and the northern latitude means that Washington vineyards receive several more hours of sun in the summer than California vineyards. Grapes in Washington therefore have time to develop significant tannins and overall ripeness.

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.