Bookwalter 2005 Merlot Columbia Valley ($36). Plush red fruit stays aromatic and rich from beginning to finish, narrowly avoiding being jammy. Picks up touches of mint, mocha and toast through the long, delicious finish. Ready to drink now and over the next three or four years. (Weekend Wine 07/08) Locate this wine online or in your area.

Cadaretta 2006 Merlot Columbia Valley ($33). A dash of lead pencil aromas mingle with cigar box and cedar notes. On the palate, it’s black fruits — blackberry, plum, currant, along with more spice and cedar, with a full, lingering finish. Ready to drink now and over the next two or three years. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2009-01-19)

Canoe Ridge 2004 Red Wine Columbia Valley ($15). Plummy, with pretty floral and fresh herb notes, picking up fig and vanilla through the moderate finish. Nice interest and complexity at this price point. A blend of Merlot (75%) and Cabernet Sauvignon (25%). Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. (Bargain Wine 10/06) Locate this wine online or in your area.

Chateau Ste. Michelle

2002 Merlot Columbia Valley Reserve ($36). Tightly wound, with restrained blackberry and plum flavors that are layered with exotic spices and coffee bean accents. Polished finish. Ready to drink now and over the next six or seven years. (Wine Tasting 04/06) Locate this wine online or in your area.

2001 Merlot Columbia Valley Cold Creek Vineyard ($33). Heady aromas include raspberry and red cherry and exotic spices, with these same flavors becoming deep and rich and accented with toasty oak on the long, complex finish. Ready to drink now and over the next four or five years. (Weekend Wine 06/05) Locate this wine online or in your area.

2001 Merlot Columbia Valley ($16). Supple and ripe, with red cherry, plum and warm spice notes accented with plenty of mint and toasty oak. Appealing and balanced. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. (Weekend Wine 01/05) Locate this wine online or in your area.

1999 Merlot Columbia Valley Canoe Ridge Estate Vineyard ($23). Incredibly good Merlot, with opulent full-bodied fruit that includes rich blackberry and smooth plum studded with nutmeg spiciness. Smooth, lingering finish. Ready to drink now and over the next three or four years. (Weekend Wine, 07/02) Locate this wine online or in your area.

1997 Merlot Columbia Valley Cold Creek Vineyard ($17). Another outstanding single vineyard Merlot from Chateau Ste. Michelle. This vintage is supple and balanced, with bright berry fruit accented with vanilla oak and spice. Nice finish. Drink now and over the next couple of years. (Weekend Wine, 01/01) Locate this wine online or in your area.

1996 Merlot Columbia Valley ($18). This wine provides nice dark berry flavors with a hint of oak and spice. And although it did have a very short finish, it seems that Chateau Ste. Michelle never disappoints. We paired it with good success with an array of Italian dishes. (Weekend Wine, 09/00) Locate this wine online or in your area.

Columbia Crest

Columbia Winery 2002 Merlot Columbia Valley ($15). A great example of good wine at a good price, this Washington St. Merlot offers velvety black plum and berry flavors, staying bright through the juicy finish and picking up toasty oak and dried herb notes. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. (Bargain Wine 10/06) Locate this wine online or in your area.

Covey Run 2001 Merlot Washington ($9). Unusual flavor profile for this tasting, includes fresh plum and blackberry, cedar, mint and black pepper. A touch on the tart side, which actually came through as refreshing. Ready to drink now and over the next couple of years. (Weekend Wine 01/05) Locate this wine online or in your area.

Gordon Brothers

2007 Merlot Columbia Valley ($23). Smooth and rich, with medium- to full-bodied mixed berry and cherry fruit laced with mocha and baking spices. Ready to drink now and over the next three or four years. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2009-08-23)

1995 Merlot Columbia Valley ($17). This wine is lush with ripe plum and black currant flavors, with creamy vanilla oak and a raisiny richness that is very good. The relatively low degree of tannins and resulting apparent ripe fruit flavors make it comparable to a Saint-Emilion. This is a very good wine at any price, but at $17 is a great value. We paired it with steamed artichokes served with well-seasoned Béchamel and Wild Mushroom Pesto sauces for dipping. Outstanding! (Weekend Wine, 07/00) Locate this wine online or in your area.

Hogue

Pepper Bridge 2001 Merlot Walla Walla Valley ($45). Big time Washington Merlot, with concentrated blackberry and currant fruit, sweet tobacco and light, spicy oak, with a lovely, long finish. Very, very good. Ready to drink now and over the next four or five years. (Weekend Wine 06/05) Locate this wine online or in your area.

Sagelands

2003 Merlot Columbia Valley Four Corners ($13). Lush and pretty, with smooth red plum and cherry flavors that pick up warm baking spices on the supple finish. Ready to drink now and over the next three years. (Bargain Wine 10/06) Locate this wine online or in your area.

2002 Merlot Columbia Valley Four Corners ($12). Very nice! With touches of Cabernet Sauvignon (4.5%) and Syrah (1.5%) that add appreciable depth and grip. Lovely aromas of cherry, berry, floral and dark chocolate lead to supple, ripe red fruit flavors that pick up vanilla, a touch of black pepper and toasted herb and oak notes that linger nicely on the finish. Ready to drink now. (Weekend Wine 01/05) Locate this wine online or in your area.

Three Rivers 2006 Merlot Columbia Valley ($19). Smooth, supple, with just enough acidity and grip on the finish to balance things out. Black plum and cherry aromas and flavors are laced with mint and toast. So easy to like that you might miss the really good structure behind the wine. Ready to drink now and over the next three or four years. Locate this wine online or in your area. (2009-06-24)