1997 Woodward Canyon Merlot, Columbia Valley, Washington
A gift from a friend who bought it on release and stored it well. A real monster, dense and purple-black. Big bodied and concentrated, with starchy flavors where I presume more lavish fruit used to be and which would have put some chocolate to the dark coffee finish. Though past its heyday, it's still quite drinkable and in fact nicely paired with our rigatoni and short rib in a dark wine sauce, but that was luck not knowledge, as this wine was previously unfamiliar to us and in a place where few merlots dare go.