s p r i n g 2 0 1 0

2007wasanexcellentvintageineastern

Washington, certainly among the best

of the decade. It started off cool,

warmed in the middle and culminated

in a picture-perfect, dry fall. The two

wines in your spring 2010 wine club

shipment are good examples of the

vintage’s fine quality. While we use

Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot – two

of thefiveclassicBordeauxstylereds–

primarily as blenders, we also produce

them as varietals. The Cabernet Franc is primarily from Minnick Hills, one of

our favorite Walla Walla Valley vineyards, and the Petit Verdot is 100% from

Stone Tree Vineyard, a superb site on the Wahluke Slope. Both are delicious

with food and, as youngsters, will benefit from aeration before serving. The

Cabernet Franc should age well for 5-10 years in bottle, while the potent Petit

Verdot will age for 10-12 years.

Speaking of cellaring, I recently tasted our Columbia Valley Merlot from

the 1994 through 2000 vintages, all of which are drinking beautifully.

I recommend enjoying the 1994 and 1995 over the next three years, while

the 1996 and 1997 should last another five years. The 1998 vintage marked

the transition to a bigger, richer style of Northstar merlot. The 1998, 1999

and 2000 should age well for another decade. From 2001 on, our wines are

designed to age 15 years from the vintage date, so you needn’t worry about any

of them for awhile.

I’d also like to mention our “Big Dipper” project. Big Dipper is the working

nameforanexcitingMerlot,whichwearecraftingtobetheverybestMerlot

from Washington State, beginning with the 2009 vintage. Having recently

tastedthroughallthe2009lotsdesignatedforthisultra-exclusivewine,Ican

tell you this is one star to keep your eye on.

As always, thanks for your support.

David “Merf ” Merfeld, Winemaker

WA L L A WA L L A , WA S H I N G T O N

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At Northstar, we’ve turned the corner

on winter. The weather is warming,

the sun is shining and our flowers are

starting to bloom. It’s a wonderful

time to visit Walla Walla Valley, and all

of us in the Tasting Room are looking

forward to seeing you. (We know you’re

going to love our new spring releases!)

If you need any help selecting a place to

stay or dine, just give us a call and we’ll

be happy to provide suggestions.

We have some exciting news to share

with you in this newsletter! We are

happy to offer enhanced benefits to our

current Northstar club members (see

page 4) We encourage you to tell your

friends about the benefits and invite

them to join the Northstar Wine Club!

I also want to let you know that our

Harvest Party will be on September

11th this year, one week earlier than

in the past. Please mark it on your

calendars and save the date.

Lastly,wehopeyouallhaveawonderful

spring and look forward to seeing you

soon!

Jan JonesGuest Services Manager

I T ’ S S P R I N G I N

WA L L A WA L L A !

t e c h n i c a l d ata

blend 83% Cabernet Franc 9% Petit Verdot 8% Merlot

alcohol 14.4%

total acidity 0.50g/100ml

ph 3.75

cases 100

Wi n e m a k i n g

This limited-production Cabernet Franc was blended with two other classic red Bordeaux style varieties: Merlot and Petit Verdot. Cabernet Franc grows well in Walla Walla Valley, especiallyinthesinglevineyardshowcasedinthe2007release:Minnick Hills, just north of downtown Walla Walla. After hand-harvesting, a mix of 60% de-stemmed and crushedfruit and 40% whole berries inoculated with Premier Cuvee yeast to begin a ten-day fermentation. The must was punched down daily during fermentation, and then racked into barrels for malolactic fermentation. Racking was performed every three months for clarity during the 16-month aging process in 100% French oak, 60% new.

“Fully capturing the unique

character of Cabernet Franc grown

in the Walla Walla Valley, this soft,

elegant red offers enticing red fruit

and spicy/herbal (mint, sage)

aromas, with seductive cherry,

berry, green olive, white chocolate,

coconut, and vanilla flavors that

segue into a long, smoky finish.

Enjoy!”

– David “Merf ” Merfeld, Winemaker

2007

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t e c h n i c a l d ata

blend 100% Petit Verdot

alcohol 15%

total acidity 0.55g/100ml

ph 3.79

cases 112

Wi n e m a k i n g

This limited-production, 100% Petit Verdot was sourced exclusively from one of our favorite sites in the Columbia Valley: Stone Tree Vineyard on WahlukeSlope. After hand-harvesting, a mix of 60% de-stemmed and crushed fruit and 40% whole berries were inoculated with Premier Cuvee yeast to begin a 14-day fermentation. The must was punched down daily during fermentation and then racked into barrels to undergo malolactic fermentation. Racking occurred every three months for clarity during the 16-month aging process in 100% French oak, 65% new.

“Dark and inky in color, this

100% Petit Verdot exudes

luxuriously complex aromas of

black raspberry, plum, violets,

eucalyptus, graham cracker and

dark chocolate, with robust, layered,

dark fruit, chocolate and vanilla

flavors. It’s a versatile food wine

especially delicious with a hearty

steak. Enjoy!”

– David “Merf ” Merfeld, Winemaker

r e ta i l p r i c e $ 4 0

m e m b e r p r i c e $ 3 2

To re-order your club selections, go to northstarmerlot.com or call us at the Tasting Room at 1 866 486-7828 or 509 525-6100.

r e ta i l p r i c e $ 4 0

m e m b e r p r i c e $ 3 2

To re-order your club selections, go to northstarmerlot.com or call us at the Tasting Room at 1 866 486-7828 or 509 525-6100.

2007

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Vi n ta g e O v e rv i e w

The 2007 growing season featured a cool spring and mild, consistent summer, which allowed the grapes to develop steadily and uniformly. Warm sunny days and cool, dry nightsduringlatesummerandearlyfallhelpedextendtheripening period into October, leading to fantastic fruit quality for all varietal types.

Vi n ta g e O v e rv i e w

The 2007 growing season featured a cool spring and mild, consistent summer, which allowed the grapes to develop steadily and uniformly. Warm sunny days and cool, dry nightsduringlatesummerandearlyfallhelpedextendtheripening period into October, leading to fantastic fruit quality for all varietal types.

t e c h n i c a l d ata

blend 100% Petit Verdot

alcohol 15%

total acidity 0.55g/100ml

ph 3.79

cases 112

r e ta i l p r i c e $ 4 0

m e m b e r p r i c e $ 3 2

To re-order your club selections, go to northstarmerlot.com or call us at the Tasting Room at 1 866 486-7828 or 509 525-6100.

P r i v a t e L i b r a r y W i n e t a s t i n g

AreyoueagertoexperienceaprivateLibraryWineTasting?ExclusivelyforourNorthstarWineClubmembers,wewill beofferingLibraryWineTastingsbyadvanceappointmentforjust $10 per person. Call the Tasting Room to reserve a date for you and your friends to enjoy a wonderful sampling of Northstar wines from our Private Cellar. S AY C H E E S E

On weekdays starting in late May, we will again offer delightful small

plates of cheese and fruit to enjoy with a glass of wine while taking in

the scenery at Northstar. They are available each day while they last,

so call ahead to reserve yours.

E N J OY Y O U R O W N P I C N I C

Club members are always welcome to bring their own picnic to the

winery and enjoy it with a glass of wine on our patio where this

spring, we’ll be offering wine for sale by the glass.

M O T H E R ’ S DAY B RU N C H

On Sunday, May 9, we will again be offering our Mother’s Day

Brunch from 11 – 1 pm. Reserve your space today and treat Mom

to a gourmet brunch with outstanding wine. (Club Members, $20,

non-Club Members, $25) Call for reservations.

RETURN OF THE FRENCH PICNIC LUNCH

Beginning Memorial Day weekend, our

French Picnic lunches will be available every

Friday, Saturday and Sunday throughout

LaborDay.Weofferachoiceof three

gourmet picnic platters – a light lunch

that serves two people, accompanied by a

4-oz glass of wine for each person – plus

an additional Chef ’s Special each weekend.

(On weekdays, we can also prepare our

French Picnic lunches for four or more

guests. Just call the Tasting Room 24 hours

in advance to reserve.) Be sure to join us for

this delicious alfresco repast on the patio,

which comes with a beautiful “view of the

blues” – our panoramic vista of the nearby

Blue Mountains.

2 0 0 6 M e r l o t Wa l l a Wa l l a Va l l e y

“Dense and distinctive, this isn’t heavy, yet is rife with tobacco, roast beef and red peppercorn accents to its black currant and blackberry flavors, persisting impressively on the complex finish.” 92 points/“Spectacular Washington Reds” Wine Spectator, January 15, 2010

“Certainly one of the finest Merlots ever made by Northstar …a full throttle, seductive wine.”94 points/“Editor’s Choice” Wine Enthusiast, December 31, 2009

2 0 0 6 M e r l o t C o l u m b i a Va l l e y

“. . . .Velvety, deep and rich, it’s loaded with toast, licorice and chocolate, along with plenty of ripe red and black fruits. . .” 92 points Wine Enthusiast, December 31, 2009

“. . . a testament to the art of blending. Dark crimson-colored, it displays an alluring bouquet of cigar box, sage, clove, cinnamon, black cherry, and a hint of chocolate.. . . .”91 points Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate, October 31, 2009

At Northstar we have both of these spectacular Merlots in stock! Please give the Tasting Room a call at 866 486-7828 or 509 525-6100 and we will be happy to ship it to you. Remember you will receive your new wine club member benefit of a 20 % discount on all wine purchases! It

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EvEnts REcEnt AcclAim

Spring Release Artist’s ReceptionFor Wine Club & Friends Featuring Jill IngramFriday, April 30 4:30 – 7 p.m.

Spring Release WeekendTaste the new releases, enjoy live music Saturday$8 entry includes logo glass (wine club members free)Saturday, May 1 10 am – 5 pm Sunday, May 2 11 am – 4 pm

Balloon Stampede WeekendSaturday, May 8 10 am – 4 pm Sunday, May 9 11 am – 4 pm

Mother’s Day BrunchSunday, May 9 11 am – 1 pm (Call for reservations 509 525-6100)

Memorial Day Weekend Live music, Boccee Ball on the lawn, Cheese demos, French Picnic LunchesSaturday, May 29 10 am – 4 pm Sunday, May 30 11 am – 4 pm Monday, May 31 10 am – 4 pm Father’s Day Weekend BBQJoin us at the BBQ for $10 a person, Dad’s eat free! Saturday, June 19 11 am – 3 pm

Northstar Wine Club Harvest Party Wine Tasting, dinner and dancing under the starsSeptember 11 (New Date) 4:30 pm – 7 pm

We are happy to offer exciting new benefits, exclusively for our Northstar Wine Club Members.

• 20% off all wine purchases (some library selections not included)• 25%off fullormixed-casepurchases • Advancenoticeof upcomingreleasesandpriorityallocations • ExclusiveinvitationstomembereventsatNorthstarandotherselectedlocations • Newsletterandclubupdateswithnotesfromourwinemaker • Complimentarywinetastings • PrivateLibrarywinetastings • Conciergeservice.