2003 Bookwalter Columbia Valley ($35) A fairly tannic but highly polished red from a well-regarded Washington State producer.

2001 Cadence Klipsun Vineyard ($40) Ben Smith blends all his wines, including this one made with Klipsun grapes. This intensely flavored red contains 73 percent Merlot (only two percentage points less than a varietal-labeled Merlot) as well as Cabernet Sauvignon and Petit Verdot.

2002 Pepper Bridge Walla Walla ($45) Winemaker and Merlot enthusiast Jean-François Pellet created this dense, concentrated and quite substantial example.

2002 Januik Klipsun Vineyard ($40) Mike Januik, who's created so many award-winning Merlots that he's been dubbed a "Merlot Master," has turned out an elegant, high- toned wine showcasing Klipsun Vineyards' excellent fruit.