2012 Northstar Malbec

Northstar Winery is in Walla Walla. Its debut wine was a 1994 Merlot. The estate was started by Chateau Ste. Michelle, the Northwest’s largest winemaker, to create Merlot-based premium wines in the style of right bank Bordeaux. Northstar specializes Merlot, though it also makes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot, Syrah, Malbec and a white blend of Semillon and Muscadelle. Grapes are sourced Columbia Valley in Eastern Washington. Northstar Premier, a 100% Merlot, is the estate’s flagship wine.

Walla Walla Valley AVA likes to call itself the Napa Valley of Washington, and given the concentration of well-reviewed wineries in the appellation, the comparison is understandable. The Walla Walla appellation is comprised of 340,000 acres, of which 1,200 acres are vineyards. Walla Walla is located in the southeastern corner of Washington and it extends slightly into northeastern Oregon. It is named after the Walla Walla River Valley, and the city of Walla Walla is the commercial center of Washington’s wine industry. The city was founded in the 1840s by the Hudson’s Bay Company as a trading post, but as early as the 1850s farmers were planting grapes for winemaking. Prohibition shuttered winemaking in the early 20th century, but a winemaking renaissance started in the 1970s when Leonetti Cellars, still one of the state’s most acclaimed wineries, started producing acclaimed Cabernet Sauvignon. Walla Walla’s AVA status was awarded in 1984 and today there are more than 100 wineries. Cabernet Sauvignon is the most frequently planted grape, followed by Merlot, Syrah, Cabernet Franc, Sangiovese Chardonnay and Viognier.

This grape produces a dark red wine with plenty of tannins. It is one of the six grapes allowed for blending red Bordeaux wines. Malbec is also the flagship variety of Argentina. The grape needs a lot of sun and heat to mature. It adds complexity and intensity to blends.