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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 91.6 pts. and median of 92 pts. in 64 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by MIRick on 5/23/2023 & rated 84 points: Way past it’s prime (609 views) | | | Tasted by Adonisd1956 on 9/17/2022 & rated 92 points: Excellent wine that is aging well. Some dried red fruits, leather, silky tannins. I think this may have just a few more years on it. Seems to be in a good drinking window now... (929 views) | | | Tasted by flybymike on 4/24/2022: Yummy (1111 views) | | | Tasted by cweiss on 8/30/2021: Juicy and and a crowd pleaser with just enough structure. Drink. (1653 views) | | | Tasted by WAWINEFAN on 8/5/2021 & rated 89 points: Loved this back in May 2020. Not as good tonight. Seems a bit flat and harsh. Not a bad wine, just not great now (1550 views) | | | Tasted by jmcmchi on 3/14/2021: Some six years since last bottle...
Nice stage of maturity with tannins still dusty as they integrate
Dark fruit, moving away from earlier savoury notes, restrained power throughout (1418 views) | | | Tasted by tombiro on 1/26/2021 & rated 92 points: Drinking extremely well right now, almost 10 years in. Some notes of vanilla, baking spices, and a hint of cherries. Medium acidity, lovely tannins, and flavors of cherry, cola, and peppers. Solid finish. (1237 views) | | | Tasted by daveyk39 on 11/7/2020 & rated 93 points: 2020: Top Ten Wines; 1/1/2020-12/31/2020 (Redwood City, CA): Been holding this bottle for a while, waiting for the right evening to warrant opening it. Medium/Deep garnet color. Blackcurrant, jalapeno, vanilla, spice box and potting soil on the nose. This Red Mountain Cab is developed and complete, in a wonderful drinking window. Smooth and voluptuous texture, deep blackcurrant and plum flavors, framed by plush tannins with a long, satisfying finish. Was worth the wait. (1337 views) | | | Tasted by Snowryeder on 7/1/2020 & rated 92 points: Drinking very well now and will last a few years. Red & black fruits, nice balance and acidity. (1109 views) | | | Tasted by lettykatie on 4/1/2020 & rated 92 points: Excellent wine. This label never disappoints. (1187 views) | | | Tasted by daveyk39 on 12/28/2019 & rated 92 points: Deep ruby/garnet color. Aromas of black currant, dark cherry, spice box, compost, vanilla. Full bodied, velvet texture, plush tannins that are ripening nicely. Dark fruit and black currant, earth and spice on the palate. Dense, balanced, with loads of depth. Drinking well, still has a decade of life left, at least. (1264 views) | | | Tasted by cweiss on 12/25/2019: Remains juicy and well-balanced. Drink or hold. (1198 views) | | | Tasted by bularry on 11/28/2019: Wine is really in a great spot. Deep red and black fruit. over delivers for an underrated vintage (1176 views) | | | Tasted by Milnes Cellar on 5/15/2019 & rated 84 points: Tainted very disappointed (1592 views) | | | Tasted by Lakejoy10808@hotmail.com on 3/24/2019 flawed bottle: Very pronounced TCA. Too bad. (1474 views) | | | Tasted by garymiller737@gmail.com on 7/1/2018 & rated 92 points: Dark ruby appearance. Not purple , but still virtually opaque.
Evolved and pronounced nose of bright black fruits (blueberry and blackberry). Secondary aromas of baking spice and vanilla.
Medium plus body with medium plus tannin and plenty of acidity to jeep fresh. Palate has lots of black fruit and some sweet vanilla notes.
Medium plus to long finish.
Drink now or hold for a decade or more in a cold cellar. Not sure if it will improve though. (2056 views) | | | Tasted by garymiller737@gmail.com on 12/2/2017 & rated 93 points: Deep ruby to purple appearance.
Evolving and classic cabernet nose of black currants , cassis, vanilla and some tobacco and spice.
Medium plus body with plenty of acidity for a Washington State cab . Medium tannins.
Lots of black fruit and some vanilla and spice on the palate. The mouth feel is gorgeous and shows how well made this wine is.
This seems to be a rare example of Washington State Cab that is built for the cellar, so I suspect this one will be better in 5 years- no guarantees of course.... (2437 views) | | | Tasted by cweiss on 9/17/2017: Nice juicy Cab admired by a crowd of nonWinos. Very well made. Drinking well now but could hold. (2467 views) | | | Tasted by 87tellub on 6/3/2017 & rated 92 points: Popped and poured, consumed over about an hour. Lead pencil, cedar and dirt, with some clean lush dark fruit with a tinge of sweetness on the nose. Smooth early palate giving way to some tannins that grab but that are not overpowering. Pretty powerful but with a lighter and very smooth mouthfeel. Some notes of chocolate. I'd sum it by saying tinesse with a bit of power. Nose showing layers as it gets air, I'm sure would be even better fully decanted or with a little more age in the bottle. (2537 views) | | | Tasted by vancouvermatt on 5/16/2017 & rated 92 points: Nose with charcoal, smoke, and Damp earth. Black fruited with graphite/lead pencil notes. Good acidity and balance. Medium to full bodied. No sediment. Plenty of structure even after 4 hours, drink or hold for 5 plus years. (2583 views) | | | Tasted by bularry on 4/22/2017 & rated 94 points: Outstanding wine. Still young very young. Initial notes on the nose of meat and iodine, almost syrah like. A little more time and the blackberry and red fruit start emerging. Rich texture in the mouth. Lots of earthy secondary flavors and tobacco notes. Long finish with excellent tanic structure.
This wine is still young, likely better in a couple more years. Outstanding effort by Upchurch and his team. (2185 views) | | | Tasted by ElleSea on 7/30/2016: Rated #1 wine by Seattle Times (2652 views) | | | Tasted by EvanRose on 7/23/2016 & rated 93 points: Served with charcuterie and the wine was full bodied, ripe red cherry, soft tannins with a round, long finish. (2161 views) | | | Tasted by ElleSea on 5/21/2016: Hold for another few years. (2129 views) | | | Tasted by Jamesgold on 11/28/2015 & rated 95 points: Outstanding. The tannins are nicely polished. Big blue fruit and dusty earth. (2650 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, New Releases from Washington State (Dec 2014) (12/1/2014)
(Delille Cellars Four Flags Cabernet Sauvignon Red Mountain Red Mountain) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| 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.
Cabernet SauvignonCabernet Sauvignon is probably the most famous red wine grape variety on Earth. It is rivaled in this regard only by its Bordeaux stablemate Merlot, and its opposite number in Burgundy, Pinot Noir. From its origins in Bordeaux, Cabernet has successfully spread to almost every winegrowing country in the world. It is now the key grape variety in many first-rate New World wine regions, most notably Napa Valley, Coonawarra and Maipo Valley. Wherever they come from, Cabernet Sauvignon wines always seem to demonstrate a handful of common character traits: deep color, good tannin structure, moderate acidity and aromas of blackcurrant, tomato leaf, dark spices and cedarwood.
Used as frequently in blends as in varietal wines, Cabernet Sauvignon has a large number of common blending partners. Apart from the obvious Merlot and Cabernet Franc, the most prevalent of these are Malbec, Petit Verdot and Carmenere (the ingredients of a classic Bordeaux Blend), Shiraz (in Australia's favorite blend) and in Spain and South America, a Cabernet – Tempranillo blend is now commonplace. Even the bold Tannat-based wines of Madiran are now generally softened with Cabernet SauvignonUSAAmerican 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.Red Mountain WinesNW Article on Red Mountain
Wine Enthusiast Article on Red Mountain
The Seattle Times Article on Red Mountain |
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