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| Drinking Windows and Values |
| Community Tasting History |
| Community Tasting Notes (average 93.3 pts. and median of 94 pts. in 231 notes) - hiding notes with no text | | | Tasted by rmh66 on 3/13/2024 & rated 96 points: Notes from day 2. This bottle is showing some brett, which put me in the mindset of a high-end super Tuscan. Plum, black cherry, cassis, graphite, red licorice, barnyard, new leather, earth, ink, and herbs on the nose. Tart cherry, red currant, red cherry, plum, earth, some bitter fruit skin, graphite, and minerals on the palate. Tart, mouthwatering acidity, lightly chewy tannins, med-long finish. Wow, I loved this bottle. Such an interesting blend of old and new world. Nice complexity, maybe not completely harmonious, but manages to be food friendly, interesting, and delicious. This bottle came across a lot younger than expecting too. (325 views) | | | Tasted by Musinus on 9/11/2023 & rated 95 points: Still a dark garnet-purple, glass-staining wine. Amply expresses sweet currant, cherry, pomegranate, raw steak, and iron nose that defiantly betrays the wine’s age. It is so reminiscent of a nicely aged fine burgundy and an utter surprise! A bit alcoholic on the medium long finish, but i so much prefer aged QC cabs from this earlier era than the 2000’s. The ‘98 is great (684 views) | | | Tasted by Peter Z. on 9/1/2022 & rated 95 points: Elegance (1622 views) | | | Tasted by DougLee on 8/7/2022: Opened for a family dinner. Very well made, powerful wine. Portlike with sweet red currant and blackberry fruit. Somewhat monolithic. Family liked it quite a bit, but interestingly did not finish the bottle. (1563 views) | | | Tasted by phandley66 on 6/24/2022 & rated 94 points: 2 years later, opened another bottle. Similar thoughts as last time, though drinking better (or bottle variation ). Lots of cherry cola notes, some graphite, but less pronounced then last bottle. Cherry cola finish lingers for a good while. Quite nice. Would drink up, but no huge hurry. Should easily last another 5 years. (1585 views) | | | Tasted by Dberlijn on 1/2/2022 & rated 93 points: Youthfull opaque Bordeaux’ish color. Complex aroma of blackberry, juniper berry, bay leaf and tobacco leaf. Medium body. Some tannins left, but mostly resolved. Excellent! (1991 views) | | | Tasted by vintage_whine on 10/10/2021: Ripe red cheap and plum, with dirty barnyard and Brett. 14.4% but hides it well, oak disappears, but if any criticism it’s a little watery on the finish, all show on the front palate. Though the acid is still sufficient to keep it interesting (1805 views) | | | Tasted by brettay on 7/19/2021 & rated 93 points: Great aromatics of crushed black raspberry, violets, liquid stones, earth and tobacco leaf. Very left bank Bordeaux in its profile, perhaps most Margaux-like. The palate emphasizes the minerals and earth with the fruit being pushed to the background, despite some tannins that are still present. The nose is heavenly but the palate is a bit hollow and past it’s prime. I prefer my wines a bit younger but fans of aged Bordeaux would probably love this. Bought directly from the winery and stored in perfect conditions since then. (1476 views) | | | Tasted by ipp on 4/30/2021 & rated 91 points: Wonderful bottle bouquet on first pour. The color is fading, my first indication of possibly past peak. On the palate, a little tired. Tannins have faded. The wine is elegant and enjoyable, but the muscle is gone. (1506 views) | | | Tasted by The Vines That Bind on 12/29/2020 & rated 89 points: Plump, open, plummy, opulent, new world but vaguely farmy. Sweet red berry fruit. Thinned out and browning a little on the palate. Still fairly pleasant. Either completely deteriorating or more likely I had no idea what I was talking about in 2015 note. (2084 views) | | | Tasted by Charlie C on 10/30/2020 & rated 80 points: Disappointing bottle. Dull red color. Mild plummy nose. The palate is muted with black cherries, leather, tobacco. Just a bit harsh. Sharp tannins, harsh acidity, bit out of balance. Finishes short with faded red fruits. This was open for 2 hours before I wrote this note; the cork was in great shape. I hope this bottle is an aberration, I have 3 more. If not, I'd drink up. (1691 views) | | | Tasted by phandley66 on 6/6/2020 & rated 92 points: Drinking perfectly. Decanted for about 2 hours and had with a grilled ribeye. Graphite and black cherries on the nose. If tasted blind, would have pegged it as left bank Bordeaux. Probably at or close to peak. If I had a criticism, it’s a bit thin on the finish but overall excellent. Wonderful wine. (1811 views) | | | Tasted by hsacks on 5/22/2020 & rated 93 points: Dark garnet color. Aromas of black cherries, red currants, graphite and tobacco. Ripe, well-structured, medium-bodied fruit in the mouth with excellent depth and length and still noticeable ripe tannins. Nicely supple and lingering on the palate. This delicious wine evolved into a complex, very balanced California Cabernet that was a stellar match with a grilled rib eye steak. At peak, with maybe a prime drinking window of another 2-4 years. (1637 views) | | | Tasted by Redteeth on 3/22/2020: Drank my last bottle. This cork was better than the last one but showing signs of age. The wine was quite nice but very tight, even after decanting twice. About half the bottle remained after the first evening and consumed the next evening. It was much more enjoyable on the second day with rich, mature fruit and mellowed tannins emerging. (1784 views) | | | Tasted by tomlee on 12/31/2019 & rated 94 points: Crimson in color. 14.4% ABV. Stunning nose of red fruits, leather, cedar and mint. Soft, supple and plush. Exceptional mouthfeel with warm, caressing fruit. Currants, cassis liqueur, spiced plums, mint and smoke on the palate. The finish is long and seamless with ever so silky tannins. Gorgeous Cabernet that presents in an old school way when compared to the more versions circa 2002 and beyond. Just a pleasure to drink on the eve of New Years Eve. Best over the next 1-2 years. (1801 views) | | | Tasted by jcorsico on 12/31/2018 & rated 93 points: Ready to drink now. Tannins have largely faded and the wine comes across as soft and smooth. A bit of barnyard funk / manure, which came through clearly across all three bottles that I opened. Decanting for an hour helped smooth everything out even more. A fair amount of sediment in the bottle. (2411 views) | | | Tasted by jlgnml on 12/28/2018 & rated 96 points: Huge fragrant nose, could smell it a table away. Deep garnet color, wonderful palate fell, berries, with blueberry hint. Lovey finish and lasting. Awesome. (2020 views) | | | Tasted by Zweder on 11/30/2018 & rated 95 points: A good wine friend's 50th birthday. (@ PCr): Beautiful and expressive bouquet with earth and sweet spices. On the palate complex and still powerful, some autumn impressions and beautifully juicy acidity. Still a great pleasure. (2139 views) | | | Tasted by jkoenen on 11/30/2018 & rated 95 points: Youth and balance. Great stuff. (1832 views) | | | Tasted by Quiet Lion on 11/5/2018 & rated 94 points: Pop and pour. Beautifully aged Quilceda. Well balanced and elegant on the palate, more old-world than other QCs I've had. Showing well now. (1965 views) | | | Tasted by Easter Everywhere on 9/23/2018: Fantastic. Plenty of life left here. (1336 views) | | | Tasted by Ron Slye on 8/11/2018 & rated 89 points: Drank with the 2000:
The 1998 is a little more cloudy than the 2000. Both pulled out of the cellar at the same time. The 98 has a strong nose of tar, rubber, and dark fruits. A bit of bitterness on the mid palate—but some nice flavors lurking underneath. The 2000 seems a bit brighter and slightly tighter—though still with the bitterness, but the latter is balanced with some equally present dark fruits.
These are very different wines. The 2000 feels very smart and well put together. The 1998 is a bit disjointed, murky.
After a bit of time, the 98 starts to soften a bit. The bitterness recedes a bit, and a bit more savory flavors start to emerge. Though softened, the bitterness is still distracting and unpleasant.
The 2000, on the other hand, is starting to sweeten. Some nice red fruits are emerging, along with some sous bois, and slight hint of violets. (1474 views) | | | Tasted by Bladams13 on 7/5/2018 & rated 94 points: Similar to my last note. This time decanted for sediment and an hour of air. Which was beneficial. Another wonderful bottle. 94+
Had a little extra time to add some details. Day two, color garnet with very nice clarity. The nose seems improved today, with cassis, Marion berry, florals, and a sweetened oak. The smokiness faded away. It tastes much like it smells. It has medium acidity, and still has a drying tannic presence, but less than day one. (1712 views) | | | Tasted by llindahl on 1/21/2018 & rated 99 points: Complex and smooth. Extremely good wine (2106 views) | | | Tasted by MikeW on 12/31/2017 & rated 90 points: Drank for 2018 New Years Eve. Very nice and typical QC quality. Is starting to lose some fruit but has a nice mouthfeel and good finish. It's time to start drinking up what you have left in the cellar.
The wine looks ruby colored. The legs are slow. There is moderate sediment in the bottle. It smells like blackberry and black currant (cassis). It tastes like blackberry and black currant (cassis). The body is medium/full. The wine has smooth texture. The wine finishes long. The wine has medium acidity. (2189 views) | | | Only displaying the 25 most recent notes - click to see all notes for this wine... |
| By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, September/October 2001, IWC Issue #98
(Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Washington State) Subscribe to see review text. | By Stephen Tanzer
Vinous, September/October 2000, IWC Issue #92
(Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Washington State) Subscribe to see review text. |
NOTE: Scores and reviews are the property of Vinous. (manage subscription channels) |
| Quilceda Creek Producer website1998 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Winemakers Comments: The 1998 vintage was the sixth hottest in the 46 years that records have been kept in eastern Washington. This resulted in ultra ripe fruit with fully ripe soft tannins and full fruit expression. In spite of excellent grapes we still declassified 30% of the vintage into a red table wine in order to maximize the quality of our Cabernet.
|| Winemakers: || Alex Golitzin, Paul Golitzin, Marv Crum ||
|| Varietal: || 97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3% Cabernet Franc ||
|| Vineyards: || Champoux, Klipsun and Taptiel ||
|| Barrels: || 100% New French Oak ||
|| Time in Barrel: || 22 Months ||
|| Time in Bottle before release: || 9 months ||
|| Case Production: || 2,500 ||
|| Drinking window: || 2005-2020 ||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 RimmermanWashingtonRattlesnake Hills |
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