Mostly Merlot with 4% Cabernet Franc and 2% Cabernet Sauvignon, the 2017 Walla Walla Merlot begins with a black-fruited nose but quickly moves to express red fruit on the palate. The wine is precise, with hints of pencil shavings and juicy plum, while the Cabernet expression lifts the back end with subtle spices. Medium to full-bodied, the wine ends with a long-lingering finish that delivers pleasure and complexity. This is a tasty and gorgeous Merlot, of which there were 1,866 cases made.