JS 94 jamessuckling.com, March 2024 I like the chocolate and Oreo cookie aromas to the black plum fruit. Oranges and bay leaves, too. It’s full-bodied, full of character and expansive on the palate, with a toasty, firm tannin frame. Remains elegant. 100% merlot. Drink from 2025. JD 94 jebdunnuck.com, July 2024 All Merlot aged in once-filled and neutral oak, the 2022 Merlot sports a vivid ruby/purple hue as well as solid aromatics of ripe black cherries, cedary herbs, dried flowers, and a kiss of background oak. It's medium to full-bodied, has a pure, elegant mouthfeel, polished tannins, and a great finish. It will keep from 10-12 years with ease. WA 93 Robert Parker's Wine Advocate, March 2024 (93+ points) Deeply colored and extracted for a Merlot, the 2022 Walla Walla Merlot displays mocha notes with plum and blackberry compote with soft notions of brown baking spices that sway from the glass with a firm, mineral essence. Full-bodied, the palate is still tight with firm,. gripping tannins that will release with additional years in the cellar yet will remain food-friendly for the next decade. The wine spent 15 months in a mix of new and used French oak and neutral botti. 23,448 bottles were made. WS 91 Wine Spectator, October 2024 Broad-shouldered and densely structured, this Merlot offers currant, river stone and dusky spice flavors while building tension toward firm tannins. Hands off for now. Best from 2026 through 2033. - TF
