Normally I would say that I’m not a big Merlot guy…well…I liked it years ago before…THAT movie came out!
LOLOL
All kidding aside…my experience anymore with Merlot is through Right Bank Bordeaux and as a blend in Left Bank too.
Red Blends that have more merlot than cab has been a good experience too.
Is Northstar it’s own winery? I thought it was just a Ch Ste. Michelle label. I still have a bottle of the 2007 merlot that has been on the drink soon rack for a year or more.
It’s a winery right on the Oregon/WA border so it’s real.
Merlot in WA is the answer to CA Cab, in WA you cut Merlot with Cab, whereas in CA you cut Cab with Merlot. It has thicker skins, more tannin and gets to optimal ripeness better than Cab does.
Lots of really good Merlot and Merlot-blends in WA.
Northstar in is Walla Walla and has pretty good wines in general and produces some decent Merlots. I don’t know if I’ve had the Columbia Valley Merlot, which means the grapes come from outside Walla Walla.
Lots of decent Merlot in Walla Walla including Spring Valley Vineyard, Pepper Bridge. I had some really good Va Piano Estate Merlot a few years ago at their tasting room but don’t remember what vintage it was.
I have to say they did a pretty good job with this one.
It is at the DE Costco and they had it for 29.99.
Then they put a 10$ off price for 19.99.
I had glanced at it and did a Vivino check on it and was tempted to try but couldn’t pull the trigger on it at 30.
Even though it got good reviews in Vivino and Wine Spec gave it a 92 and said to drink from 2018 - 2022
At 20$ I had to try.
Grabbed one and opened tonight and was very impressed!
Went back and got 4 more at that price.
Sounds like they will have for a bit. But not like something you should wait.
Interesting comment about Merlot being the Cab of Napa.
When I think about the Kirkland Signature Cab’s for that and higher prices (The Stags Leap…Oakville), this is much much better than those.
20$
I may have to get even more.
Love the way this drinks.
And I’m a Cab, Bordeaux, Brunello…Sangiovese guy.
Merlot isn’t something I usually seek out.
Although I did get a Duckhorn Merlot when it got Wine Spec WOTY a couple years back.
Still have.
Not as good as the WA versions. Mike Januik also said that in WA, they use Cab to soften Merlot. There were just too many bad versions made in CA and it got a rap as a second-rate grape. But same with Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Once something becomes popular, it gets planted all over and too much is made and you end up with a glut of mediocre wine. Anyway, if you’re a Bordeaux guy, there’s more Merlot grown in Bordeaux than there is Cab.
The folks at Chateau St Michelle visited Chateau Petrus back in the mid 1990s and decided that they could do it too. So they created Northstar to make Merlot. Wine makers have included the winemaker from Chateau St. Michelle, Rusty Figgins, and Jed Steele.
I do like the merlot in bordeaux.
Still have 1 Chateau LaCabanne 2012 which is usually a merlot blend.
But in 12 its 100% merlot.
So I do love the merlot from Bordeaux.
I see that wine Spec has rated all the vintages with this one being the 2nd highest rating of all their wines. Said to drink between 18 - 22. It’s tied with others at 92 but listed 2nd behind an 07 walla walla merlot.
They gave the 14 an 88.
Really enjoyed this 13.
Was like drinking a good right bank Bordeaux.
I wonder what the % blend is on this?
It sounds like you’re starting to push up against the reality that WS and other magazines sometimes aren’t going to align with your palate. I’ve had several bottles of Northstar over the years. I’ve almost always bought it through winebid.com as it’s often around the $20 range. I think I stopped drinking it when a bottle tasted more new world to me than my palate wanted. If you’re digging Merlot then you should definitely check out some of the Tuscan Merlots that are out there. While it’s more in the $30 price range…they’re really something special.
Northstar does a nice job. They’re round, well-balanced, and generally made for near-term drinking. Glad you’re enjoying the 2013. Check out L’Ecole No. 41 Estate Merlot for another very nice example from Washington.
Great stuff guys.
I did go back and grab another 6 pack as that is how they are boxed.
So I’m flushed with this delightful Merlot with 23% Cab and 2 PV.
Like a Bordeaux Blend without the Dirt!
And I do love the dirt.
But seeing as my friends at Last Bottle…and I do consider them as friends…stopped shipng to DE…I closed the account down and feel fortunate that Costco is now able to discount some of what they get.
The NJ Costco’s as well as the ones in VA regularly have wines at a good price and then offer 2-5-10$ off the already good price.
At the same time as I got these Merlots from a Wash winery…they got Columbia Crest Reserve Cabernet 2014 in and Then they discounted that from 36.99 ….-17.00$
19.99
Damn!
I am now the proud owner of 10 of each of these.
The PA Fine Wine had the CC Reserve for 25…But it was 2012
12 got a WS rating of 92
The 14…not as good.
But the 14 was great…a bit different though than the 12 but still Really good!!!
Sooooo, Kirkland Signature Stags Leap…Oakville…….Etc at 19.99 and 22.99 is not even Close to these two wines.
They are both gone now but hey…Cheers!
DE was a tax free state for stuff from LB.
They then stopped shipping there and I cancelled my acct.
Really bummed when I see what everyone got from there in the last Marathon.
I think the Last Bottle crowd are the best.
Hopefully they get the tax and shipping thing back to where it should be and I’ll be back.
In the meantime…I will be breaking out some nice Washington wine over the next year.
Because of the high list price for this wine, it’s frequently on ‘closeout’ lists from whichever local wholesaler is representing Chateau Ste Michelle.
And I always pick up a 6pk or two because at $15-$20 a bottle, I think it’s one of the best Merlots produced in the New World. And they do develop quite well over the short term.
When friends who know I’m “into wine” ask for good ~$20 bottles I usually include CC H3 which always seem to be solid high 80s type wines.
The Chateau St Michelle single vineyard wines are also very drinkable: Cold Creek Cab is nice, Canoe Ridge Merlot is very tasty and the HHH Sav Blanc is a nice porch pounder.