Snoqualmie Vineyards 2003 Reserve Merlot


There is something about Fall that just screams couch potato and red wine. I can’t decide whether it’s the debut of the fall television lineup, college football, or a chance of letting down after a summer of go, go, go. Either way, a renewed crispness in the air and the fact my wife and I just survived our first power outage this season; I knew it was time un cork an old standby and an autumn classic, Merlot.

I opted for a new label, and a winery which I have yet to visit, Snoqualmie Vineyards. The wine you ask, the 2003 Reserve Merlot. I chose the Reserve label, thinking my abrupt entry into fall deserved nothing less. Winemaker Joy Andersen describes the Reserve label as the “best of the best”. The wine itself is one of the more pricey wines editorialized on this blog, selling at $25.00.

The food pairing consisted of penne pasta with a tomato sauce, at the recommendation of the winery. I was quick to jump at letting the merlot flow, and my first swirl did not disappoint. I’ve never seen wine cascade down the side of the glass so slowly. The nose offered scents of its black cherry and oak aged roots. It felt clean on the palate, and went down with a kick, like a good Merlot should. Elements of spice and berries lingered long after taking a sip.

After finishing my first glass I noted a light layer of sediment on the bottom of my glass. If you’ve ever made homemade wine, you know first hand that sediment is the root evil of the home winemaking process. A second glass was poured and consumed, and little sediment was left. This one faux pas did not disappoint, overwhelmingly surpassed by the level of satisfaction this wine produced.

1 comments:

Josh Gana said...

Sounds tasty :)