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Starting in the mid-1980's, Washington's Columbia Valley began to be recognized as one of the most special places on Earth to grow and make Merlot. From the inaugural 1994 vintage, the Northstar winemaking team has sought to capture the pure fruit essence of the Merlot grape, and endowing it with a balance of power and finesse that is rarely achieved by any grape variety.
Northstar Columbia Valley Merlot draws from numerous vineyards and individual vineyard blocks from around the entire appellation. This provides our winemaker a broad pallette of flavors and textures, and helps ensure a consistency in style despite variation in growing season from year to year. The emphasis is always on the bright cherry fruit that gives Washington Merlot its immediate appeal. Special fermentation and barrel aging regimes help provide the wine with a mouthfilling texture, and the ability to age gracefully for years to come.
Northstar Walla Walla Valley Merlot is made from a few selected local vineyards that our winemaker thinks best reflect Walla Walla's unique terroir. This wine is distinct from the Northstar Columbia Valley Merlot, having more of a malted chocolate character surrounding the fruit, and has a velvety tannin structure that typically makes it more accessible in its youth.
Stella Maris is a blend of the same Bordeaux grape varieties that are harvested and fermented for the Northstar program, but for stylistic reasons are not ultimately selected for either Northstar Merlot blend. The wine shows a greater influence from Cabernet Sauvignon, which many people are surprised to learn can often be a "softer" wine than Merlot when grown in Washington state. "Stella" (as the wine is affectionately called) is a fitting home for these wonderful grapes and wine lots.
Stella Blanca is a blend of white Bordeaux varietals that are harvested and cold fermented for fresh fruit flavors and crisp, clean finishes.
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