2023 Merlot, Bacchus Vineyard

The vintage of 2023 started out cool, with a somewhat delayed bud-break. May and June were warmer than usual, allowing the vines to catch up. Summer temperatures were warm, but not so warm as to shut down the vines, and then it transitioned to a moderate, long fall perfect for balanced ripening.

Merlot is a varietal that is incredibly versatile. This is the case in the vineyard, where it will perform well and ripen fully in a cool vintage, and it will do the same in a vintage that is warm. It just ripens earlier in that case. The versatility carries through in the glass having density with moderate tannins, giving it a suppleness that is approachable to many. Washington state Merlot also reveals more complexity and density than some, a function of the growing region.

Bacchus Vineyard, on the banks of the Columbia River is one of the oldest in Washington State, established in 1972, with additional plantings as the years have progressed. Given its proximity to that large body of temperature-moderating water, winter damage has never been a problem and these vines are big and gnarly. Their deep roots add to the complexity and their expression of the place.

The 2023 vintage of Merlot, might be one of our favorites. They are generous yet elegant, showy with gracefulness, and full of complexity with gentle tannins that provide a pretty frame. The nose of this wine leads with briar, blackberry, and boysenberry, accented with violets, vanilla, and a hint of graham. The mouth is round and luxurious with sweet fruit, that envelops your mouth and lingers ever after. John Abbott – Winemaker