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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 89.5 pts. and median of 90 pts. in 30 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by Oenecnist on 7/15/2014 & rated 90 points: Purchased from Delille upon release in 2004. Decanted through a brown coffee filter and found heavy sediment--almost needed a second filter. Dark, rich color; mature fruit nose and body, almost portlike with fruit holding up and big, round body so excellent mouthfeel; reasonable finish. Can't see it improving and, if well cellared, could go another year or so. I recall trying this 4-5 years ago and thinking that bottle was fading so I wonder about bottle variation because this one was delicious. (3565 views) | | | Tasted by MIRick on 5/28/2014: Initial aroma thought it might be gone, tasted upon opening questionable as to where it would go. Decanted for 1 hour and tried in a variety of Riedel glasses, worked best in a Vinum. 2 plus hours in surprising balance of fruit and tannins, heavier oak with diminished fruit on finish. Overall - Kudos to Chris Upchurch on making a Washington Syrah that has lasted for 12 years. One year past the CellarTracker drink by date should probably have drunk this a year ago plus, but lost it in my cellar! (3391 views) | | | Tasted by Neecies on 5/7/2013: Drunk over three days. Tight and young throughout. Seems more extracted than more recent vintages. Needs more time. Next bottle: 2016-2018. (4100 views) | | | Tasted by GA_Seattle on 5/24/2012 flawed bottle: Cork wasn't visibly bad, but wine was flat - perhaps oxidized, perhaps dead...? (4623 views) | | | Tasted by jackiefeld on 4/22/2011 & rated 90 points: very big and peppery. Needed to breathe for a bit. Was also excellent the next day! (5304 views) | | | Tasted by rfras on 11/27/2010 & rated 88 points: Not as thick and jammy as I remembered. Wine still has cherry and pepper flavors but it is definitely maturing quickly. I would drink up. (2884 views) | | | Tasted by Saul on 6/11/2010 & rated 91 points: Spectacular, well worth the wait, as I have cellared this one for a long time. Deep dark purple in color, with a well defined balckberry and cherry fruit with a lovely spice undertone. Smooth finish, well done. (3048 views) | | | Tasted by jim_crane on 4/2/2010: No official notes. Popped and poured, expecting a tight wine with little to offer. But I was extremely pleased with the openess and freshness of this wine. Really juicy and full. New world style but fun to drink. (2605 views) | | | Tasted by EMichels on 10/20/2009 & rated 88 points: Aussie Shiraz at Zoe: Big rich fruit; Popcorn nose (3034 views) | | | Tasted by Cheryl on 10/20/2009: Lots of alcohol (2487 views) | | | Tasted by GA_Seattle on 9/4/2009 & rated 91 points: Dark, blood red color, very dense. Boysenberries and blueberries jump out of the glass. Ultra elegant mouthfeel with very fine tannins starting with blue fruits then transitioning seamlessly into notes of shoe leather and cocoa with plenty of acidity on the long finish. This is aging well and will be great for at least another 2-3 years. (1951 views) | | | Tasted by rfras on 3/15/2009 & rated 89 points: This wine continues to mellow out from my initial tasting. Cherry and plum fruit flavors with a touch of pepper. Thick and jammy wine that gets better when drunk over a few hours. (2475 views) | | | Tasted by Johann Von Mastiff on 3/9/2009 & rated 89 points: Very pretty earthy and pepper notes on this wine. Medium finish. For near term drinking. (2598 views) | | | Tasted by Nuit Taster on 3/8/2009 & rated 88 points: Nice compliment to Indian Food with Shahi Paneer and its red sauce. (2485 views) | | | Tasted by winot on 8/29/2008 & rated 84 points: I found this oaky, jammy, and heavy -overpowering- lacks drinkability-deep red colour, nose of oak, smoke, wood-palate more or less the same w faint hints of wine underneath-good fruit lurking but the oak won't let it surface. (2633 views) | | | Tasted by rfras on 11/24/2007 & rated 90 points: Decanted for 2 hours and had with Thanksgiving Dinner. The last time I tasted it was at the release party. The wine has mellowed a bit. It is not as muscular and the oak although still very present is not overwhelming. Some nice fruit notes of blackberry and cherry on the finish. I would hold a little longer before drinking the next bottle. (2739 views) | | | Tasted by cybergod on 12/12/2005: Awesome. Huge, Monstrous Syrah, big fruit, tannins, oak. Rich. (2173 views) | | | Tasted by SGates on 5/25/2005 & rated 88 points: Dinner at barking frog (Barking Frog Woodinville, WA): A very classy style, not a fruit bomb. Smooth tannins, clean fruit but a lot of oak. You could tell this had a good pedigree, but it just missed the mark. 15.3% alcohol was evident with some heat on the finish. Finished third out of three wines on the night. (4226 views) | | | Tasted by Tom_B on 4/11/2005 & rated 93 points: This wine is still a brute, not ready for drinking. Dark purple in color with a deep color intensity. The nose is chalked full of dark fruit, spice and anise, almost smells dense. Full-bodied, with lots of acidity, blueberries and blackberries for flavors, lots of tannin and a finish that continues to linger. Look forward to trying again in a few years. (2169 views) | | | Tasted by Eric on 11/6/2004 & rated 88 points: A day of Washington releases: Cadence, DeLille and Ross Andrew (Seattle, WA, USA): 98% Syrah and 2% Viognier. In 2002 the Doyenne has been rebranded as a separate winery, although it does mention in the fine print that it is produced and bottled at DeLille Cellars. In the future more Rhone wines will come from this Doyenne label, leaving the main DeLille brand to continue its focus on Bordeaux varietals. The nose on this wine explodes with blueberry liqueur, vanilla cookie (lots of oak), a nice note of Viognier inspired orange peel and a hint of tar. Despite the oakiness, the wine easily has the stuffing to soak this up and integrate it. This has a farily juicy entry and spreads out on the palate showing a polished Syrah, not oversweet or cough-syrupy, with lots of mineral underneath the ripe fruit. The oak shows up again on the finish with lots of caramel, and here it seems a little intrusive with slightly choppy tannins and a hint of alcoholic harshness. This is not quite an outstanding effort, but I hope it will integrate the wood and settle down into a nice Syrah. (5942 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| DeLille Cellars Producer website
DRINK NOW OR DRINK LATER?
by Chris Upchurch, Executive Winemaker/Vineyard Manager, Owner/Partner
By far, most questions asked of me always have something to do with the age ability of our wines. We offer the vintage chart below for this very reason, for all the red wines we have ever released. Please note that all of our wines are classically structured and designed to age well. I believe they will all see their tenth birthday and beyond in good health, and I include the white wines as well. Our white wines are not included in the chart because they are at "Drink" status at release. Aging does not make them more drinkable, yet there are interesting characteristics that can only develop in time, especially in the Chaleur Estate Blanc.
Syrah Varietal article (Wikipedia) | (Wines Northwest)
Note that some producers in the Northern Rhone distinguish between simply Syrah and "Serine", the latter described as ‘an ancient clone of Syrah, the berries of which are more oval-shaped and less deeply pigmented than Syrah’ by producer Tardieu-Laurent. USAAmerican wine has been produced since the 1500s, with the first widespread production beginning in New Mexico in 1628. Today, wine production is undertaken in all fifty states, with California producing 84% of all U.S. wine. The continent of North America is home to several native species of grape, including Vitis labrusca, Vitis riparia, Vitis rotundifolia, and Vitis vulpina, but the wine-making industry is based almost entirely on the cultivation of the European Vitis vinifera, which was introduced by European settlers. With more than 1,100,000 acres (4,500 km2) under vine, the United States is the fourth-largest wine producing country in the world, after Italy, Spain, and France.Washington Washington Wine Commission | Credit to Washingtonwine.org for this article
Washington Wine
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Wineries
With 30,000+ acres planted, the state has ideal geography and conditions for growing premium vinifera wine grapes. Primarily grown on their own root stocks, the vines produce grapes of consistent quality, resulting in strong vintages year after year. While its focus is on Chardonnay, Riesling, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Syrah, the region also produces a wide range of other spectacular whites and reds.
Growers
Winemakers from all over the world have chosen to establish themselves in Washington, where they can create wines reflecting this region's unique characteristics. Their hand-crafted wines are receiving wide acclaim from critics regionally, nationally and internationally for their consistently high quality. Many of them have received scores of 90 and above from the major wine media. Overall this is a higher percentage than other leading wine regions.
Regions
As the state's fourth largest fruit crop, the Washington wine industry is an important contributor to the long-term preservation of Washington agriculture. The industry is committed to sustainable agricultural practices and conservation of water resources.
Washington State is a premium wine producing region located in the northwest corner of the United States. Although a relatively young wine industry, it is now the nation's second largest wine producer and is ranked among the world's top wine regions. Washington wines are found nationally in all 50 states and internationally in more than 40 countries.
Varieties
Washington produces more than 20 wine grape varieties - a ratio of 56 percent white to 44 percent red. As the industry matures and experiments, it finds many grape varieties that thrive throughout Washington's microclimates. There are more than 16,000 vineyard acres of red wine varieties statewide.
History & Vintages
Washington's wine future is limitless. As consumers discover the quality of Washington wines, demand continues to grow nationally and internationally. New acreage and wine varietals are being planted and new wineries are opening at a remarkable pace. Washington State is recognized as a premium viticultural region around the world.
State Facts
Washington's wine industry generates more than $3 billion to the state economy. It employs more than 14,000 people, directly and indirectly, with projections to add nearly 2,000 more jobs by 2006. In terms of tax revenues accrued to the state and federal government, wine grapes are among the highest tax generators of any agricultural crops. Furthermore, Washington wine tourism attracts nearly two million visitors annually contributing to the positive growth of local and regional economies.
Washington State - the perfect climate for wine = ideal growing conditions, quality wines, business innovation, lifestyle, and social responsibility. All are key elements of this world-class wine industry.
Vintages
"2008 and even more so 2010 and 2011 were cool, even cold vintages (think: 2002 in the Barossa) without the extreme ripeness, extract and higher alcohol that had become the norm in the state’s post 1995 world. 2008 was manageable but the duo of 2010/2011 nearly caused a “great depression” in Washington State." - Jon RimmermanColumbia Valley Columbia Cascade Winery Association
The Columbia Valley AVA lies mostly in Washington state, with a small section in Oregon. The Cascade Range forms its western boundary with the Palouse regions bordering the area to the east. To the north, the Okanogan National Forest forms a border with the AVA and Canada. It encompasses the valleys formed by the Columbia River and its tributaries, including the Walla Walla River, the Snake River, and the Yakima River. The Columbia valley stretches between the 46th parallel and 47th parallel which puts it in line with the well known French wine growing regions of Bordeaux and Burgundy. The northern latitude gives the areas two more hours of additional daylight during the summer growing season than wine regions of California receive. The volcanic and sandy loam soil of the valley offers good drainage and is poor in nutrients, ideal in forcing the vine to concentrate its resources into the grape clusters.Yakima Valley Wine Yakima Valley |
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