The Northstar 2008 Merlot Walla Walla – blended with a bit more Petit Verdot and less Cabernet Franc than usual – delivers lightly cooked dark cherry and plum dusted with diverse dried green herbs, smoky Latakia tobacco, nutmeg and cinnamon. Glycerol-rich, expansive, and with admirably fine-grained tannins, it finishes with sappy, vigorous intensity, primary juiciness complemented by piquant, low-toned nuttiness as well as the persistence of herb and spice. This handsome offering strikes me as likely to be worth following for another half-dozen years. (Tasted alongside, a rather rancid component and drying tannins from barrel rendered Northstar’s 2007 Merlot Walla Walla disappointing and, by my lights, wanting to be drunk up soon.) Part of the Ste. Michelle family, Walla Walla-based Northstar has been focused for two decades on showcasing Merlot. “There’s still not a lot of top-quality Merlot to play with,” notes winemaker David Merfeld apropos options to source this grape from Walla Walla vineyards other than his estate. That the fashion for Cabernet Sauvignon and Rhone varieties to which this shortage testifies shortchanges Merlot’s Washington potential, is clearly a matter of faith at Ste. Michelle, which has in recent years planted more, including on Northstar’s home property, whose first vines went in just over a decade ago at the time that their imposing production facilities were being built. “I’m proud to be known as Mr. Merlot,” quips Merfeld – a protegee of Jed Steele, whose vision (along with that of Alan Shoup) was behind the origination of Northstar – “and I’m glad we stayed the course” even when this grape’s sheer ubiquity threatened to undermine the project of producing world class wine from it. Fruit sources for Northstar remain diverse, and their range of bottlings has expanded to include many non-Merlots. Active fermentation here is generally not longer than a week, and may finish in barrel depending on the lot. I had the opportunity to barrel-taste several components from the extremely late-harvested 2011 season, finding sap and energetic promise, though in some instances also the seeds of potential sweet-tart bifurcation. Tel. (509) 525-6100

Vineyard sources in 2008 are Spring Valley and Anna Marie (in the Seven Hills region). Tannic and aromatic, this spicy effort leads with black fruits, fresh herbs and a whiff of chocolate. An underlying minerality gives texture and length. Still young, it’s balanced and already well-integrated. It should improve even more with a few years of bottle age.——P.G.(12/15/2011)—— 92