2016 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc

• By Stephen Tanzer
  DeLille Cellars Chaleur Blanc: 1995-2016 (Jan 2020), 1/1/2020, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Delille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley White) Login and sign up and see review text.

JebDunnuck.com

• By Jeb Dunnuck
  Latest Releases from Washington State, 4/5/2018, (See more on JebDunnuck.com...)

  (Delille Cellars Chaleur Blanc) Login and sign up and see review text.

• By Stephen Tanzer
  Washington: Various Shades of Hot (Oct 2017), 10/1/2017, (See more on Vinous...)

  (Delille Cellars White Wine Chaleur Blanc Washington White) Login and sign up and see review text.

Full Pull

• By Paul Zitarelli
  Full Pull DeLille, 11/28/2018

  (DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc) Hello friends. Today we have only the second-ever DeLille offer in Full Pull’s history. I’m delighted that the folks at this special Washington winery are willing to allow our list members access to some of their lovely wines. DeLille was founded in Woodinville in 1992 by Charles Lil, Greg Lil, Jay Soloff, and Chris Upchurch. To set the scene, at that point there were exactly four wineries in Woodinville. Two are still around today (Ste Michelle and Columbia), and two are gone (French Creek and Facelli). So DeLille is the third-oldest winery still operating in Woodinville, and they essentially pioneered the boutique winery movement in the area. They were also among the first to make and promote Bordeaux blends, and among the first to consider items in the vineyard like row orientation (previously many of the vineyards were oriented to match the surrounding roads), spacing, and clonal selection. Pioneers to be sure, and 25 years in, the wines are better than ever. We have a terrific trio today:Speaking of pioneers, was there anyone in Washington making white Bordeaux blends when DeLille kicked off Chaleur Estate Blanc? This is among the finest white wines made in Washington each year, and ageworthy too. Last year I checked in on a bottle of 2001, and it was glorious, all savory and smoky goodness, with a bright vein of acidity still kicking. The current vintage is a 68/32 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon, much of it (41%) old vine Sagemoor material, the remainder from Boushey and Klipsun. Listed alc is 14.1%, and this mixes citrus and fig fruit with compelling subtleties of sweet spice and savory hay. What a fabulous nose. The palate balances glyceryl heft with a bright vein of acidity; it’s texturally flawless, and about as good a vintage as I can remember of Chaleur Blanc. Seems Tanzer agrees. Vinous: Copyrighted material withheld. [Context note: this is the highest score Tanzer has bestowed upon any Washington dry white. Ever. It is matched only by 94pt reviews for the 2011 and 2013 vintages of the same wine. From Tanzer’s point of view, this is as good as it gets for white winemaking in Washington.]