Pedestal
Merlot 2021
Columbia Valley
Washington State has proven, time and again, that Merlot thrives here, but Pedestal captures the variety at a particularly high register. The 2021 release reflects an approach centered on site expression, precision farming, and patient élevage, yielding a wine that delivers depth and polish. It is a Merlot built to command attention rather than chase it.
Pedestal is a product of the Long Shadows philosophy: pairing world-class vineyard sources with a singular, disciplined vision. In 2021, that vision comes into focus through a carefully assembled blend of Columbia Valley Merlot drawn from vineyards prized for consistency and character. The result is a wine that feels deliberately shaped to emphasize clarity, depth, and longevity.
Guiding the final expression is Michel Rolland, whose influence appears not through excess, but through control. Trained in Bordeaux and refined through decades of working with Merlot at the highest level, Rolland brings a philosophy rooted in balance, texture, and age-worthiness. The 2021 Pedestal reflects that sensibility at every turn: expressive, composed, and built to evolve with understated confidence.
Pedestal
Merlot 2021
Columbia Valley
Retails at: $75
Your Price: $68
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“A blend put together by the incredibly talented Michel Rolland, the 2021 Merlot Pedestal is based on 80% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Sauvignon, and 9% Petit Verdot that spent 22 months in 75% new French oak. Its deep plum/purple hue is followed by a brilliant, full-bodied, unctuous beauty that has loads of darker currant and black cherry fruits, some chocolate and leafy herbs notes, velvety tannins, and a layered mouthfeel that just begs to be drunk. It’s easily one of the finest expressions of Merlot in the state, and it would stand up just fine to some of the top Merlot releases from France and Napa. Drink bottles over the coming 10-15 years.”
96 Points
