I just finished my tasting at DeLille Cellars and had to write about these beautiful wines. It has now been well over ten years since I first tasted at this famed Woodinville outpost. Their director of winemaking Jason Gorski, has consistently crafted incredible wines regardless of vintage. DeLille Cellars was the first winery in Washington to focus on creating Bordeaux style wine blends and makes arguably the best Bordeaux style white wine in North America with its ‘Chaleur Blanc.’ There is little doubt that Chaleur Blanc will challenge some of the finest white wines you will find in Bordeaux.
DeLille sources from their estate, 20-acre vineyard in Red Mountain as well as premier vineyards in the Yakima Valley. Their new Woodivinlle winery is a must visit as it boasts modern decor with a fantastic rooftop that even boasts views of Mt. Ranier. It has an awesome restaurant that is adjacent their tasting room and they will soon open a new tasting room in Seattle near the University of Washington.
I think that Gorksi and his team did a fabulous job navigating the cooler 2022 vintage. These are wines that have plenty of stuffing but also really good underlying finesse and nuance. I adored the 2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Four Flags’ Cabernet Sauvignon (OB, 95) which shows incredible balance and good richness from this vintage. They also make one of the best Rose wines in the state. Their 2024 DeLille Cellars Rose (OB, 93) is deep and concentrated stuff with terrific mouthfeel and tension. Learn more about this fantastic winery at www.delillecellars.com Here are the great new release wines from DeLille.
2022 Metier ‘Red Blend’ Red Wine- A blend of Syrah, Cabernet Sauvignon and Malbec, this packs a punch for roughly twenty bucks. Chocolate and coffee grounds combine with shades of black licorice on the nose. The palate is soft and elegant with a smooth texture. Drink 2025-2030- 90
2022 Metier Cabernet Sauvignon- 100% varietal, this 2022 Cabernet Sauvignon offers tar and tobacco leaf alongside dark currants and anise seed on the palate. Enjoy now. Drink 2025-2030- 90
2023 DeLille ‘Sagemoor Vineyards’ Riesling- Coming from several sites in the Sagemoor Vineyards, the 2023 Riesling offers plenty of nerve alongside star jasmine water and petrol on the palate, with peaches and green apple. Complex and delicious, this is seriously well-done. Drink 2025-2031- 92
2024 DeLillle Roussanne- The outstanding 2024 DeLille Cellars Roussanne was entirely sourced from the Ciel du Cheval Vineyard. Stored in a combination of neutral oak, concrete and stainless steel this offers papaya and beautiful white florals alongside freshly cut honeydew melon on the nose. The palate is soft and bright with serious acidity and a silky mouthfeel. Drink 2025-2033- 94
2024 DeLille Cellars Rose- This 2024 DeLille Cellars Rose is a complex blend of near equal parts Grenache and Mourvèdre and 8% Cinsault. Stored in stainless steel, this was not given any battonage but saw some lees contact. This is big and plump on the mouth, offering loads of bright red fruits with wild mushroom and garrigue accents, with tangerine zest on the palate. Drink 2025-2032- 93
2023 DeLille Cellars ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ Chardonnay- This is now the second edition of the 2023 ‘Red Willow’ Chardonnay, which comes from old vines, utilizing five different clones. Stored in a combination of new and natural oak as well as stainless steel and concrete, this delivers cashew nut and shades of pie crust alongside Golden Delicious apple and vanilla cream on the nose. This is even better than the inaugural edition. Coming off big, bold and delicious, with fabulous freshness, tension and salty minerality, enjoy now and over the next eight years. Drink 2025-2033- 94
2024 DeLille Cellars ‘Chaleur Blanc’ White Wine- Another gorgeous edition of this wine, the 2024 ’Chaleur Blanc’ is a beautiful blend of 70% Sauvignon Blanc with the remainder Semillon. Gooseberry and star jasmine mark the nose alongside salted nuts and suggestions of nectarine on the nose. The palate is big and bold with terrific underlying freshness and nutty nuances from the Semillon. Drink 2025-2035- 94
2021 DeLille Cellars ‘Marguerite’ Sauvignon Blanc- The stunning 2022 ‘Marguerite’ is a barrel selection wine that comes from old vine Sauvignon Blanc from the Bacchus Vineyard. in 62% new French oak, this is rich and unctuous on the tongue, with terrific freshness. Kiwi and starfruit combine with juicy green melon on the palate. Salty and savory, enjoy over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Le Dessein-GSM’ Red Wine- The 2022 ‘’Le Dessein’ is a dazzling combination of Grenache, Syrah and Mourvèdre. This offers bright red fruits with good smoky character alongside braised meats, white pepper and suggestions of blood orange zest. Very vibrant and fresh, enjoy now and over the next few years. Drink 2025-2031- 93
2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Signature’ Syrah- The 2022 ‘Signature’ Syrah comes from the Grand Ciel, Boushey and Ciel du Cheval Vineyards. This is a barrel selection Syrah, with a touch of Viognier blended in as part of the wine underwent whole cluster fermentation. Herbs de Provence combines with bulls blood, iodine, scorched earth and shades of red florals. The gorgeous nose brings you back to the glass for more enjoyment. The palate is elegant, showing good weight and fabulous smoky character. This is very Washington meets Cote Rotie. Drink 2025-2038- 95
2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Grand Ciel’ Syrah- A beautiful wine from a great vintage, the 2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Grand Ciel’ Syrah (clone 383) was aged in mainly neutral oak (38% new French oak) before bottling. Crushed green peppercorns mingle well with salted BBQ beef, garrigue and bacon fat on the nose alongside bright black fruits. Big and bold with terrific freshness, this is already beautifully evolved stuff that will cellar well for the next ten plus years to come. Drink 2025-2035- 95
2023 DeLille Cellars ‘Upland Vineyard’ Syrah- Coming from this fabulous side in the Wahluke Slope, the 2023 ‘Upland Vineyard’ Syrah offers great herbal tones on the palate, with beef drippings, green olives, white pepper and shades of blackberry cobbler on the palate. The weight and freshness of the wine really impresses, as the mouth-watering acidity brings you back to the glass for more enjoyment. Drink 2025-2034- 94
2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ Syrah- The 2022 ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ Syrah offers iodine and blackberry notes on the nose alongside scorched earth and chocolate. Soft and approachable with a smooth texture and great verve, enjoy now and over the next ten years. Drink 2025-2035- 94
2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ Malbec- Inky and outstanding, the 2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Red Willow Vineyard’ Malbec saw extended maceration. Inky in the glass, this delivers violets and tar on the nose alongside dark chocolate shavings and shades of graphite. This is heady and intense with serious texture, tension and salty nuance. Already beautifully evolved, enjoy now and over the next ten plus years. Drink 2025-2038- 95
2020 DeLille Cellars ‘Minuit’ Red Wine- The 2021 DeLille Cellars ‘Minuit’ Red Wine combines Malbec (70%) with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon. This shows good poise and richness offering sagebrush and anise notes alongside rich dark fruits and loads of chocolate. The palate has good richness and bright underlying acidity, as you are greeted with herbal accents that kine a core of dense dark fruits, with copious minerals. Drink 2024-2040- 94
2023 DeLille Cellars ‘D2’ Red Wine- The 2023 ’D2’ is mainly Merlot (64%) with the remainder Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and a touch of Petit Verdot and Malbec. This comes off round and generous on the mouth, with a silky texture and seamless drinking experience. Dates, dark currants and espresso bean flavors mingle well with refined tannins on the palate. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Reserve’ Merlot- Coming from the Boushey, DuBrul and Harrison Hill Vineyards, this ‘Reserve’ Merlot is inky in the glass. This is very elegant and smooth with gorgeous underlying verve and salty nuances. This is dense considering the coolness of the vintage. Dark currants and black cherry compote combine with dark licorice and sandalwood notes on the palate. Drink 2025-2040- 95
2023 DeLille Cabernet Sauvignon- This is the first vintage of this wine, as the 2023 DeLille Cabernet Sauvignon shows pencil lead, anise, violets and tar with Arabica bean on the nose. The palate is plush and dense with a great concentration of dark fruits, with espresso ground and chocolate accents. Enjoy now and over the next eight plus years. Drink 2025-2035- 93
2021 DeLille Cellars ‘Red Willow’ Red Wine- Coming from this famed site in the Yakima Valley, this combines Cabernet Franc (78%) with the remainder Merlot. Red bell pepper combines with chocolate, dark currants and fresh sage on the nose. The palate is polished and smooth with serious texture and great herbal character from the Cabernet Franc. Drink 2025-2038- 95
2021 DeLille Cellars ‘Discovery Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon- DeLille has been sourcing from this site in the Horse Heaven Hills since 2012. The 2021 ‘Discovery Vineyard’ Cabernet Sauvignon offers pipe tobacco, anise and gravel accents alongside a core of rich blackberry fruits. The palate offers copious minerals that mingle well with milk chocolate and dense dark fruits. Drink 2024-2040- 95
2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Four Flags’ Cabernet Sauvignon- The 2022 ‘Four Flags’ was sourced from four different vineyards across Washington. 100% varietal, this is silky and delicious stuff that is already nicely evolved. Sweet pipe tobacco and Turkish coffee combines with violets and dried herbs on the palate. Showing a smooth texture and bright underlying acidity, enjoy now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 95
2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Harrison Hill Vineyard’ Red Wine- The 2022 ‘Harrison Hill’ is a silky combination of nearly all Cabernet Sauvignon (67%) with the remainder Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Stored in 94% new French oak this delivers garrigue and dark currants with dark cherry on the nose and scorched earth notes on the nose. The palate is deep and concentrated with a silky texture and great sense of weight. This is awesome stuff that is best enjoyed now and over the next fifteen years. Drink 2025-2040- 95
2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Chaleur Estate’ Red Wine- The 2022 DeLille Cellars ‘Chaleur Estate’ Red Wine is a delicious combination of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon with the remainder Merlot, Cabernet Franc and a touch of Petit Verdot. Lush and round on the mouth, this offers amazing harmony and depth. A brilliant combination of earthy and herbal tones combine with heady dark fruits, with orange bell pepper notes. This shows impeccable balance. 1100 cases made of this beauty. Drink 2025-2040- 96
2021 DeLille Cellars ‘Grand Ciel’ Red Wine- The 2022 ‘Grand Ciel’ is a sensational bottling that is sourced from the DeLille estate vineyard on Red Mountain. Anise and black currants combine with dark chocolate shavings, graphite and scorched earth notes on the palate. Complex and delicious, this is driving beautifully right now. Drink 2025-2042- 96