2004 Pedestal Merlot

2004 PEDESTAL - 93 POINTS Dense and focused, yet balances deftly enough to let the currant, cherry and black raspberry fruit pierce through a veil of crisp tannins. Has power without excessive weight. The finish lingers extraordinarily well.

 

2004 PEDESTAL MERLOT - 94 POINTS Opaque purple in color, this superb Merlot offers a classic perfume of pain grille, spice box, black cherry, and blackberry. This is followed by a rich, intensely flavored wine with great depth, concentration, and length.

 

2004 PEDESTAL MERLOT - 94 POINTS Focus first on the incredible depth and richness on display here and then marvel at the way in which polish and tannic grip exist side by side.

2004 PEDESTAL MERLOT - 90(+) POINTS Pure, reticent aromas of plum, chocolate and tobacco, with suggestions of super-ripe fruit. Fat, plush and ripe, with lovely breadth to the flavors of plum, licorice, smoke and herbs.

 
Pedestal’s 2004 vineyard sources were selected to produce a rich, jammy, fruit-forward wine.  Primary vineyard sources included Alder Ridge (30%) in the Horse Heaven Hills, giving the wine elegance and wonderful aromatics, Weinbau Vineyard (24%) on the Wahluke Slope adding ripe black fruit and richness and The Benches (formerly Wallula Vineyard) (21%), delivering deep flavors 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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