Columbia Crest H3 Merlot 2019

The 2019 Merlot is spicy and perfumed, showing wild blueberries, cloves and dried flowers. It boasts silky textures and a pleasant inner sweetness as red and blue fruits cascade across a core of juicy acidity, while cocoa and lavender resonate toward the close. There's admirable concentration that lingers through the finale as tobacco notes fade over a gentle coating of rounded tannins. Drinking window: 2023-2026. Score - 90. (Eric Guido, vinous.com, March 2023) 750 mL bottle