Rolland's Washington Bordeaux
Parker 94 - Two in a Row
Soon to be Three!

Pedestal 05 from Michel Rolland
2004 Vintage: Wine Advocate 94 points
2003 Vintage: Wine Advocate 94 points

Michel Rolland, Bordeaux Super Star, receives Parker raves for this Washington State Merlot. We love the 2005 and think it will receive at least the 94 point score the previous two vintages were given
by the Wine Advocate.

Pedestal 05
80% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Sauvignon,
7% Cabernet Franc
$57.95/$52.16

Avalon Tasting Notes:
The Pedestal Merlot 05 opens with amazingly deep, yet elegant aromas of black cherries, black berries, fresh ground coffee, and clay. A saturated palate of layered fruit, ripe currant and plum takes the lead -- black cherry and blueberry sing backup. Tarragon and tobacco mix with dark cocoa and currant on the powerfully long finish, adding hints of spice. Within minutes, the opulent style of Rolland's Pedestal begins to show.

The Pedestal is an impressively integrated, balanced wine that will age gracefully for at least a decade. Last vintage, we compared the Pedestal to an Aston Martin sports car. To continue the analogy, people, start your verticals!

Michel Rolland Tasting Notes:
Dark cherry and blackberry aromas compliment an appealing hint of toasty oak in this dense, deeply concentrated Merlot. Rich at entry, with added intensity on the mid-palate, the finish provides a lingering impression of layered black fruit.

Working with diverse vineyard sources, Rolland selected Merlot from two warm sites – Candy Mountain and Weinbau Vineyard (50%) – to give the wine bold, rich character. Conner Lee and Dionysus Vineyard (37%) contributed bright cherry, dark berries and supple tannins. Horse Heaven Hills Cabernet Sauvignon (13%) enhanced the wine's structure, and Cabernet Franc (7%) contributed a pretty floral note and added elegance.

Pedestal 2005 Six Pack Case
$309.95

Six Pedestal 2005 Merlot $57.95

Save 10% on this six pack!
$37.75 off, from $347.70 retail

Pedestal Vertical Six Pack Case
2004 and 2005 Vintages
$309.95

Three Pedestal 2004 Merlot $59.95
Wine Advocate 94 Points

Three Pedestal 2005 Merlot $57.95
Wine Advocate 94 Points

Save 10% on this six pack!
$37.75 off, from $347.70 retail

Pedestal 04
$59.95/$53.95

Was sold out, we found a bit more in the cellar.

Parker's Wine Advocate: 94 points:
"Among the varietal wines, the 2004 Pedestal Merlot is made by the peripatetic Michel Rolland whose home base is Pomerol. His wine also contains small amounts of Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, all the fruit sourced from several vineyards and AVAs with yields in the range of 1-2 tons per acre. The wine was aged in French oak for 23 months. Opaque purple in color, this superb Merlot offers a classic perfume of pain grille, spice box, black cherry, and blackberry. This is followed by a rich, intensely flavored wine with great depth, concentration, and length. All components are nicely integrated with enough underlying structure to support 5-7 years of further evolution. The long, pure finish suggests that this Merlot will drink well through 2040. Long Shadows is a winery begun by Alan Shoup, the long-time CEO of Stimson Lane and Chateau Ste.-Michelle. It is a consortium of seven different brands (labels), each with its own star winemaker who has a 25% share in the brand. The concept is that each “?is dedicated to producing a single Columbia Valley wine representing a ‘best of type’ that reflects the winemaker’s signature style.”

Pirouette 05
from Philippe Melka & Agustin Huneeus

Pirouette 05
57% Cabernet Sauvignon, 20% Merlot, 14% Syrah,
5% Malbec, 4% Cab Franc
$56.95/$51.26

2004 Vintage:
Wine Advocate 93 points
Wine Spectator 90 points

This rich, deeply colored wine offers a broad spectrum of complex aromas including leather and black cherry interwoven with hints of spice, earth and a subtle note of licorice. Supple yet firm tannins on the entry turn rich on the mid-palate to provide a lush mouthfeel across a lengthy finish.

For the 2005 Pirouette, a selection of outstanding Columbia Valley vineyards (48%) were chosen for their ripe fruit character; Wahluke Slope (24%) and Red Mountain (9%) vineyards added ripe tannins and flavors; Horse Heaven Hills vineyards (14%) including Cabernet Sauvignon from Champoux and Wallula Vineyards contributed texture and a distinct, earthy note to the wine; and Yakima Valley's Boushey Vineyard (5%) added an extra layer of dark fruit. This wine was aged 22 months in 75% new oak with a selection of barrels from Taransaud, St. Martin and Ermitage.

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