Follow Along as Northstar Shoots for the Stars with "The Big Dipper"

Walla Walla, WA

Can a Merlot from Washington state rank among the finest in the world? Would it be drinkable for years, even decades, to come? What would it take to craft such a wine?

With the Big Dipper, the working name for a new, extremely limited production wine currently being crafted at Northstar Winery in Walla Walla, winemaker David "Merf" Merfeld aims to answer the first two questions with a resounding "YES!" With "The Big Dipper Chronicles," acclaimed journalist Leslie Kelly tackles the third, offering a behind-the-scenes account of the making of this groundbreaking Merlot. The newest chapter of the "Chronicles" has just been posted and can be read here.

Founded with a focus on Merlot and long hailed as one of Washington's premier producers of the varietal, Northstar is shooting for the stars with the Big Dipper. The goal is to create a world-class Merlot that will cement Washington's reputation as a powerhouse region for the grape. Accompanying Merf and his team in the vineyards, cellar, and tasting room, Kelly follows the life cycle of the Big Dipper through articles, videos, and photography. Her dispatches from winemaking’s front lines provide a unique opportunity to step inside the creation process, in real time, from the first vineyard selection to the wine’s estimated release in 2012.

In the newly posted Chapter Six, Kelly recaps the action chronicled in previous chapters, from the first harvest of fruit destined for the Big Dipper on 9/9/09 to the experimental use of new winemaking tools and techniques including a smaller sized basket press, custom-made concrete fermenter known as C-4, and oak barrel fermentation of certain lots. After bringing readers up to date, Kelly takes a look ahead at the next chapter in the life of the Big Dipper: the initial blending of Merf's favorite lots from the 2009 vintage to create the base blend for the finished wine.

Future chapters will allow readers to experience virtually the intricacies of blending, learn about the effects of barrel aging, and participate in comparative tastings and the first pourings of the finished wine. Followers of the "Chronicles" also have opportunities to interact with Merf and his team through special pre-release tastings, Twitter and Facebook updates, and online chats throughout the Big Dipper’s evolution.

"The Big Dipper Chronicles" appear regularly on Northstar’s website, and updates appear on the winery’s official Facebook page and Twitter feed. As the next step in this wine's evolution begins, now is a great time to catch up on previous chapters. We hope you'll join us on the journey from vine to glass!

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For further information:
Grace Doyle, Communications Manager
425.415.3359
grace.doyle@smwe.com