Thanks to the kind folks at Giant Noise and Washington State Wines, I was able to sample this lovely little bottle of Merlot. I have to say that these days, Merlot does not tend to be one of my go-to wines, but I may rethink that after meeting this one. It arrived at my door along with a soon to be written about Washington Cabernet Sauvignon just as I was cooking dinner.
As the salmon was about to go in the pan, and the vegetables in the oven to roast, I lamented over the newly arrived wines not being a good pair for the evening’s meal. I had paired salmon with Pinot Noir as the locals do when in Oregon, but had never considered Merlot to be a match for fish. However, with a little bit of internet sleuthing, I found that several sites recommended blackened or creole salmon with Merlot. Luckily, I had both spices in the pantry and opted to coat the salmon in both for some extra depth of flavor and wanting to be cautious to not add to much spice to accompany what might be a fairly tannic wine. The cauliflower and carrots were set to be roasted with tumeric and cinnamon. 
Forty minutes later, I had a lovely plate of fish and vegetables to go with this delightful wine. On first opening the bottle, my husband and I were both impressed by the prominent mocha scent that emanated from the bottle. It felt like it might turn out to be a perfect fall wine. Once in the glass, notes of cherry and blackberry joined the mocha along with hints of tomato and green peppercorn. On the palate, the fruits remained, and the mocha became less prominent. It was fruity and fresh with well integrated and not overpowering tannins balanced by a nice acidity. I also picked up some mint and eucalyptus notes, adding to the freshness and tingly feel on the palate.
The fish was cooked to perfection (if I might sing my own culinary praises) with a crisp, browned outer crust and a center that was flaky, but superbly moist. The fattiness of the fish balanced out the tannins in the Merlot and the fish had just the right amount of spice so as not to intensify the tannins. Having seasoned the cauliflower and carrots with cinnamon, this spice nicely complimented the mocha notes for a nice fall medley of flavors. 
Washington State is now the second largest producer of premium wine in the United States and the Columbia Valley, where Waterbrook comes from, is their largest AVA (American Viticultural Area). Waterbrook is in Walla Walla, Washington, which has its own AVA nested within Columbia Valley. The fact that this wine is labeled as Columbia Valley tells me that this wine was produced from grapes with at least 15% or more being sourced from outside of Walla Walla, but within Columbia Valley. Washington State requires 85% of grapes to come from the AVA if labeled as such. The Walla Walla AVA has become a prestigious area of production for various reds such as Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah and Merlot. Plenty of sunlight and warm days allow these reds to ripen and develop complex flavors.
If you are a red wine lover, think Washington wine the next time you go shopping for quality affordable juice. Cheers!