Ratings & Tasting Notes:
97 points Jeb Dunnuck
Review Date: 04/2020
The flagship 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon Columbia Valley is all Cabernet Sauvignon brought up in new barrels (mostly Taransaud and Darnajou). Beautiful crème de cassis, graphite, spice box, and lead pencil notes all flow to a full-bodied, soft, elegant wine that has beautiful tannins, no hard edges, and a seamless texture. It shows the more upfront, charming style of the vintage and is already hard to resist. Nevertheless, it should easily evolve for 20+ years.
97 points James Suckling
Review Date: 06/2020
Really juicy and savory at the moment with beautiful freshness and linear tightness that frames the wine. It’s full and flavorful with currants, coffee and walnuts. Mahogany, too. The tannins are polished and spread across the palate. Accessible and hard not to drink now, but will age wonderfully, too.
96 points Wine Advocate
Review Date: 04/2021
Revisiting the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon at a year on, the wine remains bold and structured and has had a bit more time to come together and harmonize. The wine remains generous on the nose with sweetness of fruit and a glossy character, which offers chocolaty undertones in the glass with aromas of lavender and black cherry that are still persistent on the nose. Full-bodied, the tannins are beginning to round with an additional year in bottle. At the same time, the palate offers layers of dusty blackberry essence and juicy plums with elegant baking spices from the 100% new French oak aging before ending with a rich, juicy and intense finish. (AM)
Cult Wines International Notes:
The 2017 Quilceda Creek Columbia Valley Cabernet Sauvignon is a masterful expression of Washington State’s premier terroir, continuing the Golitzin family’s legacy of producing world-class Bordeaux-style reds. This vintage is a 100% Cabernet Sauvignon release, drawing its immense depth from a selection of the region’s most prestigious vineyards in the Horse Heaven Hills, including Champoux, Mach One (formerly Lake Wallula), Palengat, and Wallula. The 2017 growing season was characterized by a cool spring followed by a warm, consistent summer, which culminated in a remarkably long “hang-time” during a mild October. This allowed the fruit to reach full physiological maturity, resulting in a wine that is both intensely concentrated and exceptionally elegant.
On the nose, the wine is highly aromatic and seductive, led by the signature Champoux perfume of high-toned violets and lavender. These floral notes are layered over a core of crème de cassis, black cherry, and blueberry compote, with savory nuances of sagebrush, anise, and lead pencil shavings. The palate is renowned for its “pillowy” and horizontal texture, coating the mouth with seamless layers of espresso bean, dark chocolate, and minerals. While it possesses the power expected of a flagship Quilceda Creek Cab—clocks in at approximately 14.8% to 15.2% alcohol—it is balanced by a vibrant streak of acidity and ultra-fine tannins that provide a sophisticated, polished structure.
Critics have lauded the 2017 vintage for its charm and approachability, with Owen Bargreen awarding it 99 points and Jeb Dunnuck and James Suckling both giving it 97 points. The wine spent 20 months in 100% new French oak (primarily from the elite Taransaud and Darnajou cooperages), which has been integrated with such precision that it enhances the fruit without dominating it. While this Cabernet is already showing beautifully with a long decant, its impeccable balance and concentration ensure it will evolve gracefully in the cellar 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.
