Northstar’s very diversely sourced Columbia Valley 2008 Merlot – blended with a (for this bottling) typical 18% Cabernet Sauvignon and 4% Petit Verdot – delivers invigoratingly tart- and bitter-edged cassis and huckleberry medicinally mingled with green herbal concentrates, iodine and salt. Grainy tannin is assuaged by the wine’s worthy sense of primary juiciness, leading to an energetically sustained finish. This ought to serve well for at least another couple of years. (The corresponding 2009 – while still recommendable – was far less interesting as well as duller in texture and flavor profile. And a 1999 was fascinating in aromas but otherwise attenuated and drying.) 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

This wine gets the all-star treatment, blending fruit from 14 vineyards, and aging it in 60% new French oak. It’s a substantial, muscular effort, with dark fruit, earth and tar components. A small addition of Petit Verdot darkens the color and thickens the tannins. There is just a hint of alcoholic burn in the finish.——P.G.(12/15/2011)—— 91