2014 Star - 750 ml
Merlot
561 Cases Produced
Released June 3, 2017
Harvest: Hand-picked, 9/17-10/10/2014
Vineyards: 100% Stillwater Creek Vineyard
Yield: 2.1 to 4.3 Tons per Acre
Fermentation/Maceration Length: 10 to 14 days
Oak Aging: 100% French oak, 38% new (Demptos, Saury)
Time in Barrel: 22 Months
Date Bottled: 7/28-7/29/2016
WS - 91 pts
Washington Wine Blog - 94
The 2014 growing season was warm and sunny and as a result, we harvested Merlot for the Star blend on September 17, 2014. At the time, this was the earliest Merlot pick ever for us (that record was shattered in 2015, climate scientists' warmest year since data has been recorded). The chemistry was right on target, 26 Brix and 3.70 pH, ripe but not overripe, with acidity but not tartness. During fermentation, we focused on retaining the delicacy and freshness of the firm red fruit character of the Merlot which blended nicely with the floral and savory herb notes from the more structured Cabernet Franc. We are using a lower percentage of new French oak barrels on the Star blend in an effort to feature and respect the subtlety of the fruit.
| Vintage | 2014 |
| Appellation | Columbia Valley |
| Vineyard | Stillwater Creek |
| Harvest Date | 09/09/2014 |
| Alcohol | 14.60% |
| Volume | 750 ml |
| Bottling Date | 07/27/2016 |
| Cases Produced | 561 |
Consulting Winemaker
Erica Orr has worked in the wine industry since 1998. Her first harvest was with Cathy Corison in the Napa Valley. That experience prompted Erica to enroll in the enology master’s degree program at UC Davis where she researched the indigenous yeast microflora in native chardonnay barrel fermentations. She completed her master’s degree in 2003.
In addition to her master’s degree from UC Davis, Erica’s scientific training includes a bachelor’s degree in biochemistry from UC Berkeley and three years of research experience as a biochemistry lab technician for 2009 Nobel Laureate Dr. Elizabeth Blackburn at UC San Francisco.
As a San Francisco Bay Area native, she is passionate about food and wine, and dedicated to quality-oriented, thoughtful winemaking.
