2017 Long Shadows Pedestal Merlot
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Tasting notes
Bright ruby-red. Musky aromas of dark raspberry, tobacco leaf, dark chocolate, smoky oak and menthol are serious and brooding for Merlot. Concentrated, plush and tactile on the palate, with dark raspberry, mocha, woodsmoke, menthol and subtle herb flavors conveying serious energy. Finishes subtle, spicy and very long, with firm but suave tannins giving the wine the backbone to evolve slowly and gracefully. In a more gentle style than the more tightly coiled 2016, but this is still a solidly built Merlot that does not need its Cabernet Sauvignon component for structure. No easy sweetness here.
Critic scores
Average Score
Stephen Tanzer, Vinous
Jeb Dunnuck
More reviews and scores
The 2017 Pedestal Merlot has a dense nose with a heavyweight expression and inky character in the glass. Offering blackberry jus, spiced plum preserves and dark cherry skin, the scents are lifted and compounded by rich, elegant oak spices, cigar box and juicy tobacco. Full-bodied, the wine is generously ripe and juicy with tones of graphite and a balanced structure, ending with a long, complex finish. The expression continues to evolve in the mouth after the wine has left the palate, showing elevated alcohol with dark blackberry tones, bitter dark chocolate and pencil shavings. Give it some time in the bottle before opening, or decant for an hour.
Beautiful cassis, chocolate, leafy herbs, and earth all emerge from the 2017 Pedestal, a ripe, sexy, opulent wine that does everything right. A blend put together by Michel Rolland and aged 22 months in 86% new French oak, it's beautiful today yet is going to cruise in cool cellars for 15 years or more.