2008 L'Ecole No. 41 Seven Hills Vineyard Estate Merlot

L’Ecole No. 41 was founded in 1983 in Walla Walla Valley. It was founded by Jean and Baker Ferguson. Jean was the winemaker and Baker, a banker by profession, managed the business. Today the estate is owned and run by the Bakers’ daughter, Meagan, and her husband Marty Clubb. The winery gets its name from the historic, early 20th century schoolhouse where the winery makes its headquarters. L’Ecole No. 41 owns vineyards and sources grapes from several Washington appellations. The estate makes a broad portfolio of red and white wines, including Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Grenache, Chardonnay, Chenin Blanc and Semillon. In 2013 Wine & Spirits Magazine named L’Ecole the Winery of the Year.

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.

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.