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<H1>Elegante Cellars, 2006 Merlot, Walla Walla (Seven Hills Vyrd) -- SidewaysWineClub.com Shopping Cart</H1>
<B>$49.00</B>
-- <I>A beautiful hand-crafted Merlot, from a vineyard described as one of the world's best for Merlot.</I>
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<IMG SRC="https://store.nexternal.com/sideways/images/elegante%20label%202006.jpg" WIDTH=150 ALIGN=right ALT="Elegante Cellars, 2006 Merlot, Walla Walla (Seven Hills Vyrd)" NAME="Elegante Cellars, 2006 Merlot, Walla Walla (Seven Hills Vyrd)" BORDER=0 HSPACE=10>
<font face=arial><font size=3><B><U>Tasting Notes</b></u>I know what you're thinking - "$50 for a Merlot??!!" - and I can quietly and confidently assure you that this is a $50 wine. Few would likely identify this as a Merlot in a blind tasting, courtesy of the structured fruit from the 7-Hills Vineyard often described as one of Washington State's "Grand Cru Vineyards". Merlot has been the dominant red wine of WA state for decades, with vineyard conditions that cater to this much-maligned varietal that is all too often over-cropped, and/or grown in improper settings.
<P>Look for the tell-tale signs of a cherry reduction sauce with vanilla bean common to many WA state red wines. Nuanced and structured, with hints of blackberry and sweet oak spice complimenting a toffee-infused mocha.
<P><B><U>Discovering This Wine</b></u>
<br>I've gotten to know quite a number of my customers rather well. Some have stayed in our guest room and shared a meal around our table. But one in particular (we'll call him Glenn) is in the midst of catching the wine bug, and I anticipate he'll migrate into the wine business over the next several years - he's purchased property in Walla Walla, where he believes the best red wines in America are made.
<P>After his last trip to Walla Walla, Glenn brought home some of this wine for me to try. And then I slotted it into the next shipment of wines going to our Grand Cru members.
<P>Doug Simmons, a retired teacher, is the Owner/Winemaker at Elegante Cellars. He learned his winemaking skills first at the Walla Walla Community College, then apprenticed there and at the Huse family at Five Star Cellars, where he started making his own wine.
<P>Doug used these experiences to design his own winery and then supervised its construction until its grand opening for the harvest of 2007. His focus is in low production, high quality, handcrafted wines. He selects the vineyards and grapes that are used in Elegante' wines, such as these Merlot grapes from the world-famous Seven Hills vineyard.</P>
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<LI>SKU: ELEG-MER-06
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