2022 L’Ecole No. 41 Merlot, Columbia Valley, USA

The Moment

Some Merlots are about plushness.
Others are about poise.

The 2022 L’Ecole No. 41 Merlot lands in that beautiful middle space where Columbia Valley fruit feels generous, but the wine still carries shape, detail, and just enough savory edge to keep it grounded. L’Ecole describes red plum, dark cherry, and spiced berries with sage, licorice, and cedar, while the palate brings black currant and cocoa powder with a lingering, fine-grained finish.

This is Washington Merlot in a confident, classic register: ripe but not heavy, polished without losing energy. Wine Enthusiast leans into a different side of the wine, noting blueberries, lilacs, a grilled-meat note, Bing cherry, and white tea, with firm but not grippy tannins and mouthwatering acidity. That combination makes this bottle feel both easy to pour and serious enough for dinner.

What It Feels Like

Think early evening, a roast in the oven, good plates on the table, and a red that feels composed from the first sip.

What makes this bottle work is the balance between fruit and savory structure. You get plum, cherry, and currant, but also herbs, cedar, cocoa, and that slightly old-world edge that keeps Merlot from feeling too soft or too simple. L’Ecole calls the finish charming and inviting, with lingering fine-grained tannins, and that’s exactly the feeling here: polished, complete, and ready to go.

In the Glass

Aromatics
Red plum, dark cherry, spiced berries, sage leaf, licorice, cedar, and a floral lift that can read like lilac.

Palate
Black currant, cherry, cocoa powder, warm spice, and savory herbal notes with a subtle old-world feel.

Texture
Full-bodied and juicy, with balanced acidity and fine-grained tannins that give the wine shape without making it feel aggressive.

Finish
Lingering, polished, and quietly structured, with fruit, cocoa, spice, and cedar carrying through the close.

Why We Love This Bottle

A Washington Merlot With Real Composure
This is not a soft, anonymous Merlot. It has generosity, but also structure, savory detail, and enough tension to make it feel complete.

Fruit, Herbs, And Cedar In Balance
The profile moves nicely between ripe plum and cherry fruit and more serious notes like sage, licorice, cedar, cocoa, and tea. That makes it appealing to both Merlot drinkers and Cabernet drinkers looking for something a little more polished and supple.

Serious Enough For Dinner, Easy Enough For A Glass
There’s plenty of structure here, but the tannins stay refined and the wine remains inviting. That’s a big part of the charm.

Pair It With

• Roast chicken with herbs
• Steak or grilled lamb
• Mushroom pasta
• Burgers with aged cheddar
• Lentils or farro with roasted vegetables

These are my pairing recommendations based on the wine’s mix of ripe fruit, savory herbs, cedar, cocoa, and fine tannin. That profile tends to work especially well with roasted meats, earth-driven dishes, and weeknight dinners that want a red with a little more shape.

Technical Notes

Producer: L’Ecole No. 41
Region: Columbia Valley, Washington, USA
Grape: 80% Merlot, 15% Cabernet Franc, 3% Petit Verdot, 2% Malbec
Aging: 18 months in small oak barrels
Alcohol: 14.5%

Body: Full
Structure: Fine-grained tannins · balanced acidity · polished finish
This structural summary is based on the winery’s tasting notes and technical sheet, along with Wine Enthusiast’s description of the wine’s acidity and tannin profile.

Flavor Profile
Red Plum · Dark Cherry · Black Currant · Sage · Cedar · Cocoa · Licorice · Spice

Drink Window
Now–2030
This is my drinking-window recommendation based on the wine’s structure, acidity, oak aging, and current polished-but-still-fresh profile.