Pedestal Merlot 2015
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Enthusiast
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
This deeply concentrated wine boasts rich, ripe aromas of blackberry cobbler and violets complemented by intriguing spice components. The lush, complex palate is balanced beautifully by ample acidity and creamy oak nuances. Tannins are firm, yet supple and will integrate seamlessly as the wine ages.
Professional Ratings
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2015 Pedestal Merlot from Long Shadows is a blend of 75% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 10% Petit Verdot aged 22 months in 85% new French oak barrels. Crème de cassis, wood smoke, scorched earth, and graphite characteristics all emerge from this rich, full-bodied, voluptuous beauty that has more mid-palate depth and richness than any other Merlot made in the state. With ample tannin, it will benefit from a year or three and keep for 15. It's a gorgeous wine.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
The 2015 Pedestal Merlot is a rich, dramatic wine that wafts from the glass with aromas of black cherries, crème de cassis, cigar tobacco and mocha. On the palate, it's broad, full-bodied and lavish, with ripe, generously oak-inflected flavors and an ample core of fruit, structured by fine-grained but youthfully chewy tannins, concluding with a sweet, spicy and somewhat heady finish. The most exotic and expressive wine in the Long Shadows range, it's crafted by Michel Rolland.
-
James Suckling
A very vivid and pure red with aromas of blackberries and blueberries. Hints of violets and licorice, too. Full body, firm and silky tannins and a long, flavorful finish. Shows tension and focus. Give it two or three years to soften. A blend of 75% merlot, 15% cabernet sauvignon and 10% petit verdot. Drink in 2020 and beyond.
-
Wine Enthusiast
High-toned exotic spice, dark raspberry and barrel aromas are followed by focused, supremely rich fruit flavors that lead to a warm finish. Firm tannins provide support. For those who question if Merlot can be a serious wine, this is your answer.
Other Vintages
2019-
Robert
Parker - Vinous
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling
- Decanter
- Vinous
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator
-
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker
-
Wine
Spectator -
Robert
Parker
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator -
Wine
Enthusiast
-
Connoisseurs'
Guide -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
-
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast -
Wine
Spectator
-
Connoisseurs'
Guide -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Spectator
Michel Rolland, Pomerol vintner and consultant to many of the world’s top wineries, provides the vision for this limited release wine. In partnership with Washington wine visionary Allen Shoup, Michel has created a Columbia Valley Merlot that exemplifies the complexity and concentration of flavors for which his wines are internationally known.
Pedestal is one of six distinct red wines from Long Shadows Vintners - a collection of ultra-premium wines, each built on the unique expertise of some of the world’s most knowledgeable winemakers to showcase the quality and caliber of Washington State’s Columbia Valley.
Since the beginning, Long Shadows' Director of Winemaking and Viticulture Gilles Nicault, has overseen the operations of the winery and worked closely with the vintners to bring each winemaker’s vision to completion. Internationally renowned winemakers Randy Dunn (Feather Cabernet Sauvignon); John Duval (Sequel Syrah); Philippe Melka (Pirouette Red Wine); and Michel Rolland (Pedestal Merlot) are active partners in their respective wines. Gilles now crafts Poet’s Leap Riesling and Saggi, a Sangiovese/Cabernet Sauvignon blend, in styles that remain true to their original winemakers, Armin Diel and Giovanni Folonari respectively. Gilles crafts Chester-Kidder, a Cabernet Sauvignon/Syrah blend, independently.
Gilles works closely with the state’s top growers to execute a diverse winemaking protocol at Long Shadows’ state-of-the-art facility in Walla Walla to produce wines of exceptional quality, true to the Columbia Valley’s terroir.
With generous fruit and supple tannins, Merlot is made in a range of styles from everyday-drinking to world-renowned and age-worthy. Merlot is the dominant variety in the wines from Bordeaux’s Right Bank regions of St. Emilion and Pomerol, where it is often blended with Cabernet Franc to spectacular result. Merlot also frequently shines on its own, particularly in California’s Napa Valley. Somm Secret—As much as Miles derided the variety in the 2004 film, Sideways, his prized 1961 Château Cheval Blanc is actually a blend of Merlot and Cabernet Franc.
A large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.