One of the famed spots on Woodinvlle, DeLille rose to prominence under the guidance of eminent winemaker Chris Upchurch. They now rely on one or Washington’s greats, their director of winemaking Jason Gorski. DeLille Cellars was the first winery in Washington to focus on creating Bordeaux style wine blends and makes arguably the best Bordeaux style white wine in North America with its ‘Chaleur Blanc.’ DeLille sources from their estate, 20-acre vineyard in Red Mountain as well as premier vineyards in the Yakima Valley. I have been really impressed with this winery and what they have produced over the past five years. They soon will have their new winery built in what was formerly the Red Hook Brewery. I can’t wait to check out that modern facility which I toured a few months back.
Jason makes one of the top Rose wines in the Pacific Northwest, their 2019 DeLille Cellars Rose (WWB, 92) which has an amazing mouthfeel and shows lovely flavor and aromatic range. Their new 2019 DeLille Rousssanne (WWB, 93) is fresh, vibrant and downright delicious right now. Do not miss out on their pre-release 2018 DeLille Cellars ‘D2’ Red Wine (WWB, 93) which is dense and chewy, beautifully showcasing Merlot. Learn more about this fantastic winery at www.delillecellars.com Here are the great new release wines from DeLille.
2019 DeLille Cellars Rose- The 2019 DeLille Rose is a beautiful blend of Grenache (47%) and Mourvedre (45%) with the remainder Cinsault. The delicate, seamless texture really entices once on the mouth as this effortlessly glides across the mid-palate. Bright guava and Mandarin orange zest flavors collide with minerals, watermelon and suggestions of damp earth that all sing in the glass. This is a truly outstanding, silky Rose that is a delight to savor right now but has a long life to go, picking up earthy tones as it sits in the cellar. Drink 2020-2025- 92
2019 DeLille Cellars Roussanne- The 2019 DeLille Cellars Roussanne is entirely sourced from the famed ‘Ciel du Cheval Vineyard ‘high atop Red Mountain. The veil of tension and mouth-watering acidity is seriously good here, as layers of honeydew melon, kiwi, gooseberry and white rose water and shades of salted Macadamia nut all artfully combine on the palate. Showing great length and acidiy, this gorgeous effort will cellar well over the next eight to ten years. Drink 2020-2028- 93
2019 DeLille Cellars ‘Chaleur Estate Blanc’ White Wine- One of the iconic Washington white wines, the 2019 ‘Chaleur Estate Blanc’ white wine is another thrilling release by DeLille Cellars. A blend of mainly Sauvignon Blanc (69%) with the reminder Semillon, this wine was almost entirely aged in French oak prior to bottlng. The aromatics of white peach and poached pear combine with the lovely nutty and earthy undertones of the wine. The palate is fresh, vibrant and beautifully textured as the wine shows serious length and bright acidity. Layers of lemon zest and kumquat infused sourdough bread meld with the Marcona almond and gooseberry tones on the palate. Gratifying to enjoy in its youth, this is seriously good wine that has at least a decade of life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2032- 93
2018 DeLille Cellars ‘D2’ Red Wine [pre-release]— A blend of primarily Merlot (67%) with smaller portions Cabernet Sauvignon and just a touch of Petit Verdot and Cabernet Franc, the 2018 DeLille Cellars ‘D2’ Red Wine is another impressive new release by superstar director of winemaking Jason Gorski. Once on the nose this takes on layers of toasty oak that connect with black cherry cough syrup, blackberry compote, mocha and tar that all march in unison in the glass. The palate is dense, chewy and full of life. Downright delicious flavors of black tea and blackberry pie with shades of menthol and coffee grounds combine with a great sense of tension and light tannins. Delightful to enjoy in its youth, this beautiful wine has a long life ahead of it. Drink 2020-2035- 93