Decanted for 30 minutes but it needs to be decanted for 2 hours after five more years in the bottle. Massive jammy fruit and the presence of noticeable oak.
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Removed from 55 degree cellar and decanted two hours before dinner. Served with Caprese salad and ribeye steaks. Wood shavings, eucalyptus and black fruits. It is hot in the mouth. A bit too much alcohol? Too young? Lots of powdery tannins, but nicely in sync with the deep dark fruits. Perhaps I should have been patient. Based upon how the wine is drinking now, it is quiet a good wine but not magnificent (thus the 92 points). In five years the 92 might morph into 95. Long finish… spicy with waves of mint and red fruits. The more I sip the more I enjoy. While good with the steak, this wine was even better with the post dinner chocolates. A bit too “big” for us francophiles, but this solidifies the QC reputation.
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Decanted half the bottle for 60-90 mins and this is in a really good place. Softer than I'd expect, this is super-approachable.
Must and dark fruit on the nose, I also get some chocolate truffle notes. Extremely approachable, while there's sufficient tannin its not heavy at all and could pair just as well with halibut or king salmon as with steak. Frankly, I might prefer this with hearty seafood, though moo would be okay too, just not with a heavy sauce.
While approachable, there's still an elegance here; nothing is out of balance, nor is anything missing. Like a classic movie, you'll keep on finding more with this as time passes, and just can't tire of revisiting this. Great stuff.
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Dark berries, plum, cassis, eucalyptus, cigar box, some spice from the oak. Nose and palate are very dark. Finish shows a bit lighter hue and is quite long. Moderate tannin and acid are well integrated. Very good wine that has many more good years ahead of it.
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Probably the best QC we’ve had (‘10 - ‘15). Rich, smooth, complex, with plenty of dark berry fruit and fine tannins, all well integrated. The finish isn’t all that fresh and juicy, but it goes on forever. Love it, but the value doesn’t align with our pocketbook.
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Drank over 2 days and really enjoyed. Agreed with other tasting notes that this needed time to open. I pnp'd, but left time between glasses. Really started getting great around 3 hours in. 2nd day was great as well. Dark, rich, balanced, long finish.
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PNP and kicking myself for it. Drank with some old friends immediately following a 2019 Domaine Dujac Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Monts-Luisants Blanc. Initially, the Quilceda Creek was unbalanced on the nose and palate, very tannic and confused. My first QC and I was legitimately wondering what all the hype was about. But after about 45 - 90 minutes, it opened up into a gorgeously-balanced beauty of a bottle. Black berries, plums, currants, graphite, and a subtle bit of cigar box. Great minerality and acid. Absolutely divine by the last glass -- very much regretting not decanting this for an hour before drinking. This still has at least 5 years if not more.
On the nose, mountain herbs and toasted French oak. On the palate a beautiful combination of elegance and power, with often time a the elegance winning out with a touch of florals and alpine herb. But this also has a punch of red fruit, some darker chambord, cinnamon, and pipe tobacco. It offers a nice tension and a long finish.
Would be enjoyed with a ribeye. All-in-all a well-balanced wine, but I don't believe it's worth the price point.
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Night #2 with friends in Mexico. We did a side by side comparison of 2 great Washington State Cab Sauv. The first was the 2017 Abeja and the second this 2015 Quilceda Creek. This was an excellent wine although it was unanimously #2. Bigger, bolder and not as smooth as the Abeja. We agreed this one needed to be drank with some grilled steaks instead by itself. Blackberry, oak, plum, graphite, blackcurrant, cigar.
A classy Washington Cab. Slow to show, started at 92 even after a double decant and one hour. As the meal went on it kept getting better, finally reaching 96 on the last glass. Beautiful. Side-by-side with Booker Fracture, great fun to compare a 95-point Syrah with a Cab like this and talk about them.
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A full-throated shout of a wine, with a full-on syrupy, sappy mix of figs and cassis and maple hitting the nose and palate. There's plenty more complexity underneath: I think I'm getting something along the line of sweet smoked jerky (or menthol, as someone mentioned). The finish goes on basically forever. It's not all to my tastes -- for me, it'd be cloying if it weren't for the stout tannins -- but I won't pretend that it's not objectively awesome.
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Nearly perfect - full of deep fruit, balance, and character. Cassis is prevailing fruit. Tannins are lovely. Drank side by side with a Va Piano, and Woodward Canyon Old Vines, all 2015. QC was my favorite.
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With the next vintage being released in about 10 days, seemed good timing to open this as our first bottle of the year.
Decanter was howling blueberries when I popped the cork around 4; nearly 4 1/2 hours later young oak, cigar and crushed stone that dominate the nose.
We’ve been buying QC for 15+ years and have had the privilege of hanging onto a handful long enough to know this is just way too young. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an impressive wine, just still in its infancy. The tannins tone down with time in the glass, and lost some of their graininess when we shifted to sommelier stems. Dark fruits, currants and the tannins combine in a primal form that leaves a long front- to mid-palate finish.
While 92-3 tonight, my posted score is based on its obvious potential. Won’t touch another bottle for at least 4-5 years.
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Always a solid, go-to wine. Luscious dark fruit, notes of pepper & spice, amazing tannins with a very long finish. Hard for me to be patient enough with this wine to properly age as I tend to grab a QC whenever in need of a solid pick from my cellar.
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This is a big full bodied wine that needs some air. I think it's just entering it's drinking window and will only improve and evolve for many years to come.
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One hour decant. Black cherry, black currant, cassis, saddle leather, forest floor, and red apple on the nose. Smooth, dry, muscular nose, with a hint of menthol. Full tannins on the longish finish. Great dinner with Mark1NPT and our lady friends.
So different than a Cali cab...decanted about 1 hour before dinner at a great steakhouse in College Station, Tx with Carol, Jaime and Melissa. Beautiful red fruit, forest floor/old leaves, new oak component, full tannins and the finish lengthened the longer the wine was open. The last few sips were the best to me and I may have scored this one higher if it had been open even longer. Lots of time ahead for this one. A wonderful meal with nice wines and great friends.
Decanted 2 hours. Very smooth for such a young wine. Hints of dark fruit, smoke, and earth. Not for the faint of heart - this is a big wine with tons of future upside. Drinking well now, but will only get better. Hold for at least 2 more years.
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just approaching drinkable. Love the expression of the grapes in Quilceda Creek wines, but they are almost (not quite!) like Bordeaux in the time they need to be ready.
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Primary at this stage in a very approachable way. Enjoyable with only one hour decant. Smooth and seamless for sure. Pleasing red and blue fruit and licorice. Subtle hints of tobacco and smoke suggesting potential. Long. I don’t like to make these calls without having tasted a wine myself over many years; however, if a young wine has future potential, it probably tastes something like this! I expect my scores to improve.
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This is made for the long haul... first day noticeable heat even after 4-5 h of air. Abundance of cassis, pencil shavings and leather notes. 2nd day just perfect and in the sweet spot. 6-8 h of air should do it or 4-5 years in the cellar, u decide! I find the 16 much more approachable at this time even at pnp. Very good all around as always
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Just a really great bottle of wine with currants and spice abounding. The initial flavors transverse your palate beautifully tilting towards the red fruit spectrum. A long finish follows...had with "blue" Tri-Tip (you Costco shoppers know what I mean) and it went perfectly. For my taste the QC wines give almost any Napa Cabernet a real run for the money! Excellent!
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This wine has a long way to go, not ready for enjoying just yet. In a couple of more years should be able to get to a 93-94 rating. This is no 95 plus wine.
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I knew when it was young but I opened it regardless. Currants abound. Set aside for 5 years minimum. As usual, the very best Washington State has to offer. Drank a 16 four hours later, not as high quality, but that could change.
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A very complete wine. It’s already approachable, but it is rather compact at the moment. Glossy purple fruit with notes of spices and leather just barely coming through. A very fine, almost imperceptible tannin structure.
I bet this will be a massive wine in a decade. Drink or hold.
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Battle Cab with JKW; 11/6/2020-11/7/2020 (Woodyville): Tasted blind. 2 hour double decant. Hint of garnet at the rim. Open nose of currant, black plum, mocha and spice. Nice velvety texture and LONG! Surprised this wasn't better when unbagged, guessed Cadence in this group. Not a long hauler.
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Lots of stone, lead pencil, dry tannins, vanilla, and bit of dark fruit in there somewhere. Big, balanced, pretty amazing, but not a fruity wine. Subdued and sublime.
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Not over powering at all. Did not decant just slow oxed for a few hours and it drank really well. Deep and dark fruit and a brooding wine which is good now but good get better in a few years maybe? Glad I drank it now though as it was delicious with steak
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Probably a little infanticide here, but a great Father's Day wine nevertheless. Not a powerhouse wine, the Figgins we had after this was much bigger and a more tannic beast. At the same time I could find no real faults with this wine, everything about it is very balanced and strong. As close to a perfectly made wine as I've ever found.
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young, but decanted for 4 hours. Big and dark berries but not the "bomb" i was worried about. Mossy with dense forest floor and an undercurrent of mint. Very balanced. Oak and vanilla, but not overpowerring. Really nice wine.
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Soft and plush, super supple, with mulled plum and blueberry. It’s not as lactic as older examples I’ve had of this wine. Surprisingly approachable and light (relatively) on the palate, none of the tannic toughness you would expect for a young cab. And not in a flabby way either. It’s a wine for early consumption
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Somewhat tannic at PnP, but two hours later you'll get a glimpse of what this wine will become over time. My last one was more than a year ago and it has definitely integrated a bit since then. The pure fruit is now showing some expansion on the mid-palate whereas a year ago it was riding the high register. Dark cherry, blueberry, spicy flavors, and refreshing acidity followed by a lengthy finish of tobacco, minerals, and pepper. Decanted for 2 hours.
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Really a savory wine. On the nose, deep ripe blackberries followed by lots of savory things like licorice, tobacco, and something herbal like mint and tomato leaf; slight hint of something floral like violets. A monster wine, tannins are high, fairly heavy weight wine.
Telltale Quulceda lightness for a big wine and thankfully that trade mark style is totally present here and there's why I drink it. Though a little dirty on the palate - not sure how that evolves (disappears?) with age
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Boom! Spectacular wine. Beautiful nose, long lengthy palate and looonggg finish. The tannins are still very prevelant so time in the cellar will make this even better. What a pleasure to taste an American wine that actually tastes like the grapes that make it without being adulterated with other flavors. Hats off to this winery. 5 more bottles in the cellar and looking forward to every single one!
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Enjoyed at the winery. This is a big wine. Tasted at 4pm, bottles was opened at 8am and double decanted. Still some chewy tannins, but these will mellow out. Great fruit and a huge nose.
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Quilceda Creek VIP Tasting (Esquin Seattle): Wow! Is this wine built to last. It was almost impossible to drink right now, due to the big, bold, harsh tannins. However, once these are able to integrate further, I undoubtedly see this shining with balanced fruit and age-worthy complexity. Wait 10 years at least.
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Decanted for an hour before serving. Had this wine with a reverse-seared Prime Ribeye Cap steak and various accompaniments. In fairness to the wine, it is quite young. A wonderful nose right now but the wine is reluctantly showing itself on the palate. No doubt there is some significant potential in the wine. The score of 91 is on potential, not how it’s drinking now. Next time I’ll open it several hours prior to serving, maybe even the day before. But don’t hold your breath, it will be a few years before I give another bottle a go.
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by astringent pucker which does pretty much resolve by the LONG, BALANCED, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with a distinct swtness to the dusty tannins. DESERVES/needs through '21, then EASILY making its 10th. 15.2% ABV; My EXC-/EXC™. 99 pts Dunnuck, 98 & #36/Top 100 of '18 Int'l Wine Report, 96 ea WA (Kelley), Suckling, Vinous (Tanzer), & WE with #74/Top 100 '18 Cellar Selections @ $200, and 94 WS!
™I've UNDOUBTEDLY underrated this, likely as my palate was LOOKING for the maturity that the other 14 reds in this flight tended to bring.
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Incredible effort here. Consistent with other notes. The balance and highlight of the fruit without being jammy or extracted is exquisite. This is easily one of the best QCs ever and in an incredibly good spot now. Can’t imagine another 5+ years in bottle.
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Cocoa, leather, licorice, cassis, dark cherry, tobacco and a little pepper. Gracefully balanced. As another reviewer notes, more elegant than hedonistic. Those who judge current-day QC's by the more extracted, Parker-pointy style of the early 2000's do this brand an injustice.
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So well balanced that just hovers with layers on the pallet with a spicy pepper kick on the finish to give that finally punch on the ending flavors as you swallow.
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Purity of fruit here with an outstanding higher register full-bodied palate, a smooth mouthfeel, and a lengthy finish that delivers a delicious and singular experience. A nose of cocoa, vanilla, leather, licorice, and black currants leads into dark cherry, blueberry, and spicy flavors with a refreshing acidity and the depth improves with time in the glass. The very lengthy finish adds tobacco, minerals, and pepper. Its richness is more elegant than hedonistic. Decanted at room temperature for 3 hours.
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Very good wine with its own character but not that impressive. First nose is of chocolate, then smoked paprika skin, nutmeg, sweet vanilla, blueberry and raspberry. Medium plus bodied somewhat unlike expectation. Tannins are very smooth already. Spices like anise and menthol gradually come through and chocolate disappears with time. Not a very rich and hedonic wine.
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It hard to believe that a wine this big and this young is drinkable but it seems to be. Consumed over two nights. Good the first night and only a little reticent. Had blossomed by the second night. I may have to start drinking my older vintages.
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a luxurious wine with outstanding mouthfeel -quality everywhere. The Golitzin website makes references to keeping harsh tannins out. I agree. It's almost like there are no tannins, and yet this is a highly structured Cab! I get mostly notes of dark purple, ripe, plums. The finish has notes of tobacco leaf. Hard to believe, but perhaps even better on day 2.
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First time ever trying this wine. Young, balanced, very impressive. Pepper, tobacco, smokey. Unbelievable finish. Can only imagine where this wine will be in a few years.
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Well, they've done it again. This wine is still young but perfect balance and that incredible QC depth. They were 100 rated by WA last year, and I think this one may be better. I opened one a bit too soon, but what a treat. Don't plan to die with any of this left in my cellar!
15.2% ABV. Wood burnished black fruit aromas. Powerful, but balanced aromas. Soft and generous, but loaded with underlying structure. Rather accessible relative to some previous experience with this wine.
A friend and I tasted this at the 3/17/18 release party. It had a deep, rich, powerful bouquet of black currant, blueberry, blackberry, tobacco, mocha, cocoa, licorice, herb and spice aromas. The palate was rich, structured and layered (also surprisingly accessible) with flavors of black currant, blueberry, blackberry, mocha, cocoa, burnt toast, licorice, herb, spice and minerals.
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2/9/2024 - franinnyc Likes this wine: 94 Points
Ready to drink. No harshness. Long finish. Fruit. Great stuff.
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1/7/2024 - peelout wrote:
Needs at least 1-2 more years
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12/22/2023 - Francophile1 Likes this wine: 91 Points
Decanted for 30 minutes but it needs to be decanted for 2 hours after five more years in the bottle. Massive jammy fruit and the presence of noticeable oak.
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8/20/2023 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 96 Points
Still with jammy great fruit and lingering tannins. Not reached full maturity yet.
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7/9/2023 - John from GR Likes this wine: 92 Points
Removed from 55 degree cellar and decanted two hours before dinner. Served with Caprese salad and ribeye steaks. Wood shavings, eucalyptus and black fruits. It is hot in the mouth. A bit too much alcohol? Too young? Lots of powdery tannins, but nicely in sync with the deep dark fruits. Perhaps I should have been patient. Based upon how the wine is drinking now, it is quiet a good wine but not magnificent (thus the 92 points). In five years the 92 might morph into 95. Long finish… spicy with waves of mint and red fruits. The more I sip the more I enjoy. While good with the steak, this wine was even better with the post dinner chocolates. A bit too “big” for us francophiles, but this solidifies the QC reputation.
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6/2/2023 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 95 Points
Decanted half the bottle for 60-90 mins and this is in a really good place. Softer than I'd expect, this is super-approachable.
Must and dark fruit on the nose, I also get some chocolate truffle notes. Extremely approachable, while there's sufficient tannin its not heavy at all and could pair just as well with halibut or king salmon as with steak. Frankly, I might prefer this with hearty seafood, though moo would be okay too, just not with a heavy sauce.
While approachable, there's still an elegance here; nothing is out of balance, nor is anything missing. Like a classic movie, you'll keep on finding more with this as time passes, and just can't tire of revisiting this. Great stuff.
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3/19/2023 - Craig15 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Dark berries, plum, cassis, eucalyptus, cigar box, some spice from the oak. Nose and palate are very dark. Finish shows a bit lighter hue and is quite long. Moderate tannin and acid are well integrated. Very good wine that has many more good years ahead of it.
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3/9/2023 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 95 Points
Big, sturdy, and balanced. Like my old college buddies with whom I drank this on a ski trip in Aspen.
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3/3/2023 - chuckfr Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful wine with ribeye. Well balanced with tannins nicely integrated. Room to improve with time but very good right now.
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2/14/2023 - Pedroel Likes this wine: 94 Points
Probably the best QC we’ve had (‘10 - ‘15). Rich, smooth, complex, with plenty of dark berry fruit and fine tannins, all well integrated. The finish isn’t all that fresh and juicy, but it goes on forever. Love it, but the value doesn’t align with our pocketbook.
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11/19/2022 - dlcass wrote: 98 Points
Beguiling. Constantly changing. Nose of butterscotch, boysenberry. Very smooth and integrated palate.
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11/4/2022 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 97 Points
Big, balanced, bold.
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9/25/2022 - yasha Likes this wine: 95 Points
Great wine
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9/4/2022 - Tonyboons33 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Drank over 2 days and really enjoyed. Agreed with other tasting notes that this needed time to open. I pnp'd, but left time between glasses. Really started getting great around 3 hours in. 2nd day was great as well. Dark, rich, balanced, long finish.
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8/27/2022 - Zinlady Likes this wine: 94 Points
Much more ready to drink then in 2019. Went well with tenderloin Dark. Nice finish some sweetness
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8/12/2022 - RoboticWino Likes this wine: 95 Points
PNP and kicking myself for it. Drank with some old friends immediately following a 2019 Domaine Dujac Morey St. Denis 1er Cru Monts-Luisants Blanc. Initially, the Quilceda Creek was unbalanced on the nose and palate, very tannic and confused. My first QC and I was legitimately wondering what all the hype was about. But after about 45 - 90 minutes, it opened up into a gorgeously-balanced beauty of a bottle. Black berries, plums, currants, graphite, and a subtle bit of cigar box. Great minerality and acid. Absolutely divine by the last glass -- very much regretting not decanting this for an hour before drinking. This still has at least 5 years if not more.
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7/30/2022 - brianschool Likes this wine: 92 Points
On the nose, mountain herbs and toasted French oak. On the palate a beautiful combination of elegance and power, with often time a the elegance winning out with a touch of florals and alpine herb. But this also has a punch of red fruit, some darker chambord, cinnamon, and pipe tobacco. It offers a nice tension and a long finish.
Would be enjoyed with a ribeye. All-in-all a well-balanced wine, but I don't believe it's worth the price point.
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7/2/2022 - popasq Likes this wine: 95 Points
3+ hours decant, really nice and different. It kept evolving throughout the night with plenty of different "looks".
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5/15/2022 - ppearson9 wrote: 92 Points
4 hour decant. nothing special. hoped for more
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4/4/2022 - tedcholl Likes this wine: 92 Points
Night #2 with friends in Mexico. We did a side by side comparison of 2 great Washington State Cab Sauv. The first was the 2017 Abeja and the second this 2015 Quilceda Creek. This was an excellent wine although it was unanimously #2. Bigger, bolder and not as smooth as the Abeja. We agreed this one needed to be drank with some grilled steaks instead by itself. Blackberry, oak, plum, graphite, blackcurrant, cigar.
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4/2/2022 - leadpencil wrote: 95 Points
Dense. Fruit for days. Minerality on back end.
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3/13/2022 - seijaro Likes this wine: 95 Points
A classy Washington Cab. Slow to show, started at 92 even after a double decant and one hour. As the meal went on it kept getting better, finally reaching 96 on the last glass. Beautiful. Side-by-side with Booker Fracture, great fun to compare a 95-point Syrah with a Cab like this and talk about them.
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2/22/2022 - tjross Likes this wine: 97 Points
Solid Tuesday night wine!
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2/4/2022 - KTelaak_Buffalo Likes this wine: 95 Points
This delivered on all expectations. A nice, bold, powerful Cabernet ready in 30-60 minutes. I'd get more for sure.
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1/23/2022 - asteff wrote:
A nice big cabernet. A little more than my preferred style, but it was well balanced
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1/21/2022 - Stephan O wrote: 95 Points
A full-throated shout of a wine, with a full-on syrupy, sappy mix of figs and cassis and maple hitting the nose and palate. There's plenty more complexity underneath: I think I'm getting something along the line of sweet smoked jerky (or menthol, as someone mentioned). The finish goes on basically forever. It's not all to my tastes -- for me, it'd be cloying if it weren't for the stout tannins -- but I won't pretend that it's not objectively awesome.
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1/2/2022 - VINNICK Likes this wine: 94 Points
Another one down, another excellent bottle.
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1/1/2022 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 97 Points
Nearly perfect - full of deep fruit, balance, and character. Cassis is prevailing fruit. Tannins are lovely. Drank side by side with a Va Piano, and Woodward Canyon Old Vines, all 2015. QC was my favorite.
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1/1/2022 - davidandrose Likes this wine: 95 Points
With the next vintage being released in about 10 days, seemed good timing to open this as our first bottle of the year.
Decanter was howling blueberries when I popped the cork around 4; nearly 4 1/2 hours later young oak, cigar and crushed stone that dominate the nose.
We’ve been buying QC for 15+ years and have had the privilege of hanging onto a handful long enough to know this is just way too young. Don’t get me wrong, it’s an impressive wine, just still in its infancy. The tannins tone down with time in the glass, and lost some of their graininess when we shifted to sommelier stems. Dark fruits, currants and the tannins combine in a primal form that leaves a long front- to mid-palate finish.
While 92-3 tonight, my posted score is based on its obvious potential. Won’t touch another bottle for at least 4-5 years.
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7/30/2021 - denniswdern@gmail.com Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wonderful. Still a bit tannic at first. Could probably cellar a few more years.
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7/3/2021 - TXRDW wrote: 94 Points
Always a solid, go-to wine. Luscious dark fruit, notes of pepper & spice, amazing tannins with a very long finish. Hard for me to be patient enough with this wine to properly age as I tend to grab a QC whenever in need of a solid pick from my cellar.
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6/27/2021 - VINNICK Likes this wine: 94 Points
Always a pleasure to drink. Drinking beautifully right now. Bought a 6 pack a few years ago and no regrets after having 3.
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6/27/2021 - Colorado3G Likes this wine: 93 Points
This is a big full bodied wine that needs some air. I think it's just entering it's drinking window and will only improve and evolve for many years to come.
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6/21/2021 - AGELVIS Likes this wine: 94 Points
One hour decant. Black cherry, black currant, cassis, saddle leather, forest floor, and red apple on the nose. Smooth, dry, muscular nose, with a hint of menthol. Full tannins on the longish finish. Great dinner with Mark1NPT and our lady friends.
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6/21/2021 - Mark1npt Likes this wine: 95 Points
So different than a Cali cab...decanted about 1 hour before dinner at a great steakhouse in College Station, Tx with Carol, Jaime and Melissa. Beautiful red fruit, forest floor/old leaves, new oak component, full tannins and the finish lengthened the longer the wine was open. The last few sips were the best to me and I may have scored this one higher if it had been open even longer. Lots of time ahead for this one. A wonderful meal with nice wines and great friends.
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4/4/2021 - sprap1951 Likes this wine: 94 Points
Decanted 2 hours. Very smooth for such a young wine. Hints of dark fruit, smoke, and earth. Not for the faint of heart - this is a big wine with tons of future upside. Drinking well now, but will only get better. Hold for at least 2 more years.
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3/26/2021 - Niagara wrote:
just approaching drinkable. Love the expression of the grapes in Quilceda Creek wines, but they are almost (not quite!) like Bordeaux in the time they need to be ready.
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3/19/2021 - Jerseyjudge Likes this wine: 93 Points
Primary at this stage in a very approachable way. Enjoyable with only one hour decant. Smooth and seamless for sure. Pleasing red and blue fruit and licorice. Subtle hints of tobacco and smoke suggesting potential. Long. I don’t like to make these calls without having tasted a wine myself over many years; however, if a young wine has future potential, it probably tastes something like this! I expect my scores to improve.
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3/13/2021 - tjross Likes this wine: 97 Points
Decanted six hours. Pretty approachable, but I expect it has years of maturity ahead of it.
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1/11/2021 - Myman24 Likes this wine: 96 Points
This is made for the long haul... first day noticeable heat even after 4-5 h of air. Abundance of cassis, pencil shavings and leather notes. 2nd day just perfect and in the sweet spot. 6-8 h of air should do it or 4-5 years in the cellar, u decide! I find the 16 much more approachable at this time even at pnp. Very good all around as always
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12/12/2020 - T.O.Wineaux Likes this wine: 94 Points
Just a really great bottle of wine with currants and spice abounding. The initial flavors transverse your palate beautifully tilting towards the red fruit spectrum. A long finish follows...had with "blue" Tri-Tip (you Costco shoppers know what I mean) and it went perfectly. For my taste the QC wines give almost any Napa Cabernet a real run for the money! Excellent!
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12/11/2020 - JWH6 Likes this wine: 92 Points
This wine has a long way to go, not ready for enjoying just yet. In a couple of more years should be able to get to a 93-94 rating. This is no 95 plus wine.
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11/28/2020 - johnmpete wrote: 97 Points
I knew when it was young but I opened it regardless. Currants abound. Set aside for 5 years minimum. As usual, the very best Washington State has to offer. Drank a 16 four hours later, not as high quality, but that could change.
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11/27/2020 - O'Meara Likes this wine:
A very complete wine. It’s already approachable, but it is rather compact at the moment. Glossy purple fruit with notes of spices and leather just barely coming through. A very fine, almost imperceptible tannin structure.
I bet this will be a massive wine in a decade. Drink or hold.
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11/6/2020 - Grinner wrote: 93 Points
Battle Cab with JKW; 11/6/2020-11/7/2020 (Woodyville): Tasted blind. 2 hour double decant. Hint of garnet at the rim. Open nose of currant, black plum, mocha and spice. Nice velvety texture and LONG! Surprised this wasn't better when unbagged, guessed Cadence in this group. Not a long hauler.
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11/6/2020 - jkwoodward Likes this wine: 93 Points
Woodward/Lyon Cabernet Clash; 11/6/2020-11/7/2020: Still with strong tannins and nice fruit, not a standout on the night, but should get better with time. Still a baby. 4 hour decant.
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10/31/2020 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 95 Points
Lots of stone, lead pencil, dry tannins, vanilla, and bit of dark fruit in there somewhere. Big, balanced, pretty amazing, but not a fruity wine. Subdued and sublime.
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10/18/2020 - AAJR Likes this wine: 95 Points
Just awesome. Consistent experience as per my last tasting note.
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10/10/2020 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 95 Points
Packed with flavor, aromatic nose, cassis, blackberry. Balanced and big. Great work, QC!
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10/1/2020 - dclaggett Likes this wine: 93 Points
Elegant style, tremendous berry fruit, notes to follow. Rating in comparison to other vintages I’ve tried, and initial impression.
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7/26/2020 - Griffeyfan04 Likes this wine: 93 Points
Not over powering at all. Did not decant just slow oxed for a few hours and it drank really well. Deep and dark fruit and a brooding wine which is good now but good get better in a few years maybe? Glad I drank it now though as it was delicious with steak
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6/22/2020 - cwiebe Likes this wine: 96 Points
Probably a little infanticide here, but a great Father's Day wine nevertheless. Not a powerhouse wine, the Figgins we had after this was much bigger and a more tannic beast. At the same time I could find no real faults with this wine, everything about it is very balanced and strong. As close to a perfectly made wine as I've ever found.
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6/22/2020 - Brinckma wrote: 93 Points
young, but decanted for 4 hours. Big and dark berries but not the "bomb" i was worried about. Mossy with dense forest floor and an undercurrent of mint. Very balanced. Oak and vanilla, but not overpowerring. Really nice wine.
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5/23/2020 - Iceman611 wrote: 94 Points
Spectacular cab. Interesting and flawless.
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5/16/2020 - jviz wrote: 94 Points
Soft and plush, super supple, with mulled plum and blueberry. It’s not as lactic as older examples I’ve had of this wine. Surprisingly approachable and light (relatively) on the palate, none of the tannic toughness you would expect for a young cab. And not in a flabby way either. It’s a wine for early consumption
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2/14/2020 - GQG Likes this wine: 96 Points
Somewhat tannic at PnP, but two hours later you'll get a glimpse of what this wine will become over time. My last one was more than a year ago and it has definitely integrated a bit since then. The pure fruit is now showing some expansion on the mid-palate whereas a year ago it was riding the high register. Dark cherry, blueberry, spicy flavors, and refreshing acidity followed by a lengthy finish of tobacco, minerals, and pepper. Decanted for 2 hours.
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1/3/2020 - ChristyLeighNY wrote:
Really a savory wine. On the nose, deep ripe blackberries followed by lots of savory things like licorice, tobacco, and something herbal like mint and tomato leaf; slight hint of something floral like violets. A monster wine, tannins are high, fairly heavy weight wine.
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12/27/2019 - SlimShaney Likes this wine: 94 Points
Telltale Quulceda lightness for a big wine and thankfully that trade mark style is totally present here and there's why I drink it. Though a little dirty on the palate - not sure how that evolves (disappears?) with age
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11/25/2019 - wineotim wrote: 92 Points
Sampled twice at a local store event. I'm not detecting a big and bold wine here like others, more elegance and grace. I would say.
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11/24/2019 - VINNICK Likes this wine: 96 Points
Boom! Spectacular wine. Beautiful nose, long lengthy palate and looonggg finish. The tannins are still very prevelant so time in the cellar will make this even better. What a pleasure to taste an American wine that actually tastes like the grapes that make it without being adulterated with other flavors. Hats off to this winery. 5 more bottles in the cellar and looking forward to every single one!
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9/5/2019 - wdcwineguys Likes this wine: 96 Points
Enjoyed at the winery. This is a big wine. Tasted at 4pm, bottles was opened at 8am and double decanted. Still some chewy tannins, but these will mellow out. Great fruit and a huge nose.
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8/15/2019 - Winning_Wines Likes this wine: 96 Points
Quilceda Creek VIP Tasting (Esquin Seattle): Wow! Is this wine built to last. It was almost impossible to drink right now, due to the big, bold, harsh tannins. However, once these are able to integrate further, I undoubtedly see this shining with balanced fruit and age-worthy complexity. Wait 10 years at least.
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7/26/2019 - jrglm wrote: 91 Points
Decanted for an hour before serving. Had this wine with a reverse-seared Prime Ribeye Cap steak and various accompaniments. In fairness to the wine, it is quite young. A wonderful nose right now but the wine is reluctantly showing itself on the palate. No doubt there is some significant potential in the wine. The score of 91 is on potential, not how it’s drinking now. Next time I’ll open it several hours prior to serving, maybe even the day before. But don’t hold your breath, it will be a few years before I give another bottle a go.
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6/28/2019 - srh Likes this wine:
Friday Tasting Group: "Killer Bar" (#03 for me): "New World" Theme (Vintage Wines Ltd., San Diego, CA): 100% C.S. from the Champoux, Lake Wallula, Palengat, & Wallula Vyds; Aged 20 mos in 100% New FR oak barrels; 6,125 cases bottled June 2017.
N: Slightly closed; Earth & smoke atop ripe berries
P: Med body; RNDISH entry with ALMOST swtish frt (approaching threshold R.S.?) met by astringent pucker which does pretty much resolve by the LONG, BALANCED, very, VERY slightly tangy finish with a distinct swtness to the dusty tannins. DESERVES/needs through '21, then EASILY making its 10th. 15.2% ABV; My EXC-/EXC™. 99 pts Dunnuck, 98 & #36/Top 100 of '18 Int'l Wine Report, 96 ea WA (Kelley), Suckling, Vinous (Tanzer), & WE with #74/Top 100 '18 Cellar Selections @ $200, and 94 WS!
™I've UNDOUBTEDLY underrated this, likely as my palate was LOOKING for the maturity that the other 14 reds in this flight tended to bring.
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6/20/2019 - Zinlady Likes this wine: 94 Points
Wow. Tasted this at Quilceda Creek today. Delicious. Very young. Tannic. Dark. Enjoyed but needs food Should try in 5 years
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6/16/2019 - PJHaveron Likes this wine: 93 Points
Big wine - definitely needs time but a lot of quality. Perhaps a bit too fruit forward but will be interesting to see how it matures.
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5/18/2019 - AAJR Likes this wine: 95 Points
A well made wine - abundant nose, great structure, smooth tannins, long finish. Flavors of berry, cassis, spice - but not overdone.
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5/11/2019 - Ry1028 Likes this wine: 96 Points
Incredible effort here. Consistent with other notes. The balance and highlight of the fruit without being jammy or extracted is exquisite. This is easily one of the best QCs ever and in an incredibly good spot now. Can’t imagine another 5+ years in bottle.
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12/14/2018 - BobbaWA Likes this wine: 96 Points
Big, fruit forward, bold and brilliant.
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12/2/2018 - Neecies Likes this wine:
Cocoa, leather, licorice, cassis, dark cherry, tobacco and a little pepper. Gracefully balanced. As another reviewer notes, more elegant than hedonistic. Those who judge current-day QC's by the more extracted, Parker-pointy style of the early 2000's do this brand an injustice.
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11/15/2018 - RCarlyleParker wrote: 99 Points
JD
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10/27/2018 - cdp1276 Likes this wine: 94 Points
So well balanced that just hovers with layers on the pallet with a spicy pepper kick on the finish to give that finally punch on the ending flavors as you swallow.
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9/29/2018 - GQG Likes this wine: 96 Points
Purity of fruit here with an outstanding higher register full-bodied palate, a smooth mouthfeel, and a lengthy finish that delivers a delicious and singular experience. A nose of cocoa, vanilla, leather, licorice, and black currants leads into dark cherry, blueberry, and spicy flavors with a refreshing acidity and the depth improves with time in the glass. The very lengthy finish adds tobacco, minerals, and pepper. Its richness is more elegant than hedonistic. Decanted at room temperature for 3 hours.
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9/24/2018 - fotomill Likes this wine: 93 Points
Very good wine with its own character but not that impressive. First nose is of chocolate, then smoked paprika skin, nutmeg, sweet vanilla, blueberry and raspberry. Medium plus bodied somewhat unlike expectation. Tannins are very smooth already. Spices like anise and menthol gradually come through and chocolate disappears with time. Not a very rich and hedonic wine.
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9/22/2018 - rojoloco Likes this wine: 95 Points
It hard to believe that a wine this big and this young is drinkable but it seems to be. Consumed over two nights. Good the first night and only a little reticent. Had blossomed by the second night.
I may have to start drinking my older vintages.
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8/18/2018 - Tsliwinski Likes this wine: 98 Points
A superb wine. Smooth, silky with dark fruit intermixes with forest floor and game. Long finish with smooth tannins. This should ride a while longer.
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6/5/2018 - AlbertaOenologist Likes this wine: 94 Points
a luxurious wine with outstanding mouthfeel -quality everywhere.
The Golitzin website makes references to keeping harsh tannins out. I agree. It's almost like there are no tannins, and yet this is a highly structured Cab! I get mostly notes of dark purple, ripe, plums. The finish has notes of tobacco leaf.
Hard to believe, but perhaps even better on day 2.
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5/31/2018 - akpace wrote: 98 Points
Nose of vanilla, toast, new leather, berry, flavors spice, ripe strawberry, then lingering peach and vanilla.
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5/24/2018 - TXRDW wrote: 96 Points
First time ever trying this wine. Young, balanced, very impressive. Pepper, tobacco, smokey. Unbelievable finish. Can only imagine where this wine will be in a few years.
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5/6/2018 - Thralow Likes this wine: 98 Points
This could be 100. Just wonderful.
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5/6/2018 - ungerlei Likes this wine: 99 Points
Well, they've done it again. This wine is still young but perfect balance and that incredible QC depth. They were 100 rated by WA last year, and I think this one may be better. I opened one a bit too soon, but what a treat. Don't plan to die with any of this left in my cellar!
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3/30/2018 - nzinkgraf wrote:
15.2% ABV. Wood burnished black fruit aromas. Powerful, but balanced aromas. Soft and generous, but loaded with underlying structure. Rather accessible relative to some previous experience with this wine.
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3/17/2018 - garambler Likes this wine: 94 Points
A friend and I tasted this at the 3/17/18 release party. It had a deep, rich, powerful bouquet of black currant, blueberry, blackberry, tobacco, mocha, cocoa, licorice, herb and spice aromas. The palate was rich, structured and layered (also surprisingly accessible) with flavors of black currant, blueberry, blackberry, mocha, cocoa, burnt toast, licorice, herb, spice and minerals.
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