2006 Pedestal Merlot - 1.5L

2006 PEDESTAL - 93 POINTS Dark and spicy with a tarry edge to the blackberry and currant fruit, emerging on the neverending finish with richness, polish and elements of spice, pepper and an extra whoosh of cherry. It all keeps sailing effortlessly.

2006 PEDESTAL - 96 POINTS “...delivers a fair dollop of concentrated black cherry fruit together with rooty and crème brulee richness in its layered aromas. Its slight tightness continues in the mouth, yet here the wine unbends just a touch more and offers complete and convincing proof that the depth and concentration presaged by the wine’s early smells are wholly at hand. Rich, extracted, amply tannic, this one has all the pieces in place to mature handsomely over the next decade.” -September 2009

2006 PEDESTAL - 94 POINTS "Purple-colored, it offers an alluring bouquet of sandalwood, pencil lead, spice box, incense, black currants, and black cherry.. Seamless on the palate, this plush wine has layers of ripe, savory flavors, well-concealed tannin, excellent aging potential, and a 60-second finish."

2006 PEDESTAL - 91 POINTS “Good bright ruby-red. Sweet, creamy aromas of red currant and sexy sandalwood. Fat, rich and sweet."

2006 PEDESTAL - 93 POINTS "Spicy with cedar, tobacco, black cherry, dried herb, black olive and licorice root aromas. The entry is rich and warm the tannins supple and fine-grained. On the palate there is plenty of vanilla, spicy, peppery, cedar, cigar, coffee, black cherry jam, mint, black olive and orange peel flavors a la Rolland. Big, rich, ripe, suave style for the more hedonistic drinker and it will improve over the next five years."

Pedestal is a blend of diverse vineyard sites, each adding layers and complexity to the finished wine. Merlot from Conner Lee and Dionysus Vineyards is wonderfully aromatic and bursting with fresh blueberries. Mid-Columbia vineyards contribute boldness and structure. Merlot from The Benches (former Wallula Vineyard) in the Horse Heaven Hills adds a layer of earthiness to the wine. Petit Verdot off the Wahluke Slope has great acidity, contributing to the wine’s liveliness, and Malbec enhances the wine’s mouth feel and complexity.

 
Michel Rolland is considered by many to be one of the most influential winemakers in the field.  A graduate of the esteemed Bordeaux Faculty of Oenology, he continues to build upon this practical source of knowledge through observations in his own laboratory in Pomerol, France.  He consults for over 100 vintners and vineyards worldwide, producing wines with an alluring style recognized as the “Rolland Method”.
 
Rolland also maintains partnership interests in far-flung regions of the globe, including his involvement with Long Shadows Vintners.  His home, however, is in Pomerol, where he owns and manages a number of holdings and fine wine estates: Chateau Le Bon Pasteur in Pomerol, Chateau Bertineau Saint-Vincent in Lalande-de-Pomerol, Chateau Rolland-Maillet in Saint-Emilion, and Chateau Fontenil in Fronsac.  In addition, Michel manages the Chateau La Grande Clottee in Lussac-Saint-Emilion under a vineyard lease system.
 
Vineyard management techniques championed by Rolland include effeuillage (thinning of leaves), and eclaircissage (pruning of clusters), both used to encourage the advent of perfectly ripened grapes. Aging on the lees in new oak barrels and in-barrel malolactic fermentation are also Rolland’s trademarks.
 
However, those who view the “Rolland Method” as a craftsman’s book of recipes have missed the mark. Rolland is not a technician – he is, first and foremost, an observer.  He studies the surround, that is, the blend of personality traits that distinguishes the vintner, the vineyard, and the grower.  In uncanny fashion, Rolland understands the unique culture of the wine - and therefore the nuances that separate an unexciting wine from something quite extraordinary.  It is this ability to understand the wine that makes him such an amazing oenologist.
 
Michel is usually winging his way to a vineyard in some far corner of the world. However, he makes a point of returning home each year to celebrate the birthdays of his two daughters, Marie and Stephanie, and grandchildren, Camille, Arthur, Theo and Raphael.

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