2018 DeLille Cellars Minuit

Community Tasting Notes (4) Avg Score: 93 points

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  2/26/2024 - ThatFrenchieGuy wrote: 94 Points

  What is it: Malbec/Cab (70/30) from the Yakima Valley in Washington. I have a theory that the US West Coast only does Cab blends with a splash of merlot because that's what they learned in Bordeaux, so we're using this as a test of my theory that Malbec/Petit Verdot/Syrah should be the stars of the show and not Cab/Merlot/CF.
  
  Price Paid: $55ish when I was visiting at the end of 2021.
  
  Conflict of interest note: I did receive a comped tasting in exchange for buying wine.
  
  Nose: Huckleberry, blueberry, violets, sweet tea, slight gravel
  
  Palate: Explosive blue fruits. Huckleberry/blueberry/black raspberry. Slight peppercorn, black tea, faintly citrus-y thing that's not orange but similar, faint baking spices in that signature French Oak kind of way. Acid/tannin balance is perfect in my books with mediumish tannin and elevated but not bracing acidity.
  
  Takeaway: I've only had one bad wine from Delille (2016 Grand Ciel Cab), and this continues the trend. This is everything I want new world wine to be. It's got the texture/balance of the old world, but the fruit is much livelier and closer to the forefront. I think it was a great idea to put a less famous grape at the front, and I hope more wineries start doing that. 4.5/5

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  11/4/2023 - Eightyblocker Likes this wine: 93 Points

  This was fabulous. My only regret was that I opened it this soon.

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  9/25/2023 - EvanRose Likes this wine: 91 Points

  Not usually a Malbec fan but this blend was delicious Herbaceous on the nose with black fruit and plum A bit gripping on he palate

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  3/28/2022 - Maphill01 wrote:

  PNP. 70/30 Malbec/Cab. 14.3% ABV. Pretty oaky, blackberry, blueberry and some pepper. Nice acidity, but still primary, with ripe fruit in a modern style. This needs a few years to settle down for my palate.

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