We spent part of our Christmas break at some friends condo in Seattle Washington. We do not get to see them often, so some time together was well deserved. I was also looking forward to hitting some of the local tasting rooms at the Woodinville Wine Country. Woodinville is thirty minutes from downtown Seattle so its worth the trip. The Woodinville Wine Country is home to over 90 wineries and tasting rooms representing every appellation in Washington.
We spent one afternoon in the Woodinville area trying wines from three wineries. The first was the Woodhouse Wine Estates, Chateau St. Michelle, and Col Solare. Col Solare is the partnership between two influential wine producers who are recognized leaders in their respective regions: Tuscany’s Marchesi Antinori and Washington State’s Chateau Ste. Michelle.
As I mentioned the first tasting was at the Woodhouse Wine Estates. The tasting cost was $10 per person and would be comped by the purchase of a bottle from each taster. This was not going to be a problem since we were here in 2006, and I liked the wines and planned on buying a few bottles. After the tasting was done I purchased a couple of bottles of the Merlot and a Chardonnay.
The Kennedy Shaw wine is part of the Woodhouse Wine Estates labels
A week later at home, I decided to open a bottle of the 2010 Kennedy Shaw Merlot and pair it with Chris’ King Salmon dinner.
Sight
The Merlot had a medium color depth with a garnet hue. There was no sediment and the wine was clear in our glasses.
Smell
The Merlot was not very aromatic. It did smell fruity and young. I could smell spice, black cherry, cherry, and oak. Spice dominated the aroma.
Taste
The Merlot was dry and medium-bodied. The acidity was good. The tannins were medium with a dry mouth feel. The wine was flavorful. I could feel the tannins in my mid-palate with a dry finish. The finish was long.
Blend: 80% Merlot, 12% Petite Verdot, 8% Malbec. An interesting blend.
abv: 13.8%
The Merlot fruit comes from the Rattle Snake Hills AVA on the eastern part of Washington State.
How much: $20 and the tasting room.
I rated the 2010 Kennedy Shaw Merlot two glasses. The wine did pair well with dinner, but this style Merlot is not my liking. I prefer a softer mouth feel and dry Merlots. But, for the price, it is a pretty good house Merlot.
In Vino Veritas!
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