Ratings & Tasting Notes:
99 points Jeb Dunnuck
Review Date: 04/2018
The flagship is the 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon, 100% Cabernet Sauvignon mostly from Champoux with the balance from Palengat and Wallula vineyards. Crème de cassis, graphite, black licorice, unsmoked tobacco, and hints of chocolate and emerge from this beauty and it continues to gain depth and nuance with time in the glass. Full-bodied, deep, and layered with an incredible purity and elegance on the palate, it’s already accessible but has more than enough tannin, depth, and balance to evolve for two decades or more.
98 points Int’l Wine Review
Review Date: 11/2020
The 2015 Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon from Quilceda Creek is showing incredibly well at this youthful age. It begins with striking aromas of blueberries, dark cherries, blackcurrants and ripe plums which are woven together with pencil shavings, lavender, chocolate, black olive, licorice and spring flowers. Palate is full-bodied, expressive and well-structured with gorgeous velvety tannins that deliver a mouthful of dark berries, plum and spice flavors. Layerd and expressive, this is drinking beautifully today, however it also has the potential to handle many more years in the cellar. Sourced from Champoux, Lake Wallula, Palengat, and Wallula. (JD)
97 points Decanter
Review Date: 11/2019
Quilceda Creek, founded in 1978, was the state’s 12th winery and today arguably its best Cabernet producer. The 2015 vintage was the warmest ever in Washington, but this superb bottling (mainly from the Champoux Vineyard) has remarkable acidity to support the well-extracted, mouth-coating blackberry, cassis, smoky tarmac, cocoa, earth and high-toned kirsch notes, with a cherry candy finish. Aged 20 months in new French oak. (TG)
Cult Wines International Notes:
The 2015 Quilceda Creek “Columbia Valley” Cabernet Sauvignon is a rich, opulent masterpiece born from the hottest growing season in Washington State history. This extreme heat resulted in a record-breaking early harvest, yielding fruit with immense concentration and thick, flavor-dense skins. Composed of 100% Cabernet Sauvignon primarily sourced from the iconic Champoux Vineyard (81%), with supporting fruit from Lake Wallula, Palengat, and Wallula vineyards, this wine is a “hedonistic” expression of the Horse Heaven Hills. Despite the blistering summer temperatures, the wine maintains a surprising level of poise and structural integrity, a hallmark of Paul Golitzin’s ability to manage high-alcohol, high-extract vintages with technical precision.
Aromatically, the 2015 is a “tour de force,” erupting with scents of crème de cassis, black raspberries, and blueberry compote, seamlessly blended with savory layers of unsmoked cigars, scorched earth, and graphite. On the palate, the wine is massive and “full-throttle,” displaying a luxurious, “voluptuous” texture that masks its underlying power. Deep flavors of dark chocolate, espresso, and black cherry are framed by ripe, polished tannins that provide a velvety mouthfeel. Aged for 20 months in 100% new French oak, the wine possesses a “seamless” quality and a finish that resonates with extraordinary length and purity. Critics have celebrated the 2015 as a “brilliant success,” frequently awarding it scores of 96–99 points and noting its ability to reward patient cellaring through 2040.
Bottle Size:
750 mL
Storage History:
Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar.
Condition:
Outstanding condition.
Please note: The condition of the bottle you will receive is accurately reflected by the one shown in the images.
