DeLille Chaleur Blanc 2020
-
James
Suckling -
Robert
Parker -
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Wine
Spectator
Product Details
Your Rating
Somm Note
Winemaker Notes
Offering hints of tropical fruit, peaches and lemon zest, the nose of the 2020 Chaleur Blanc is bright and intriguing, with earthy barrel notes of light vanilla and chocolate mint. On the palate, characteristic grapefruit and honeysuckle flavors are carried by vibrant acidity, with barrel aging contributing crème brûlée and baking spices to the wine’s dry finish. Intensely powerful, with oak influence and notable minerality dominating on release, time in bottle will allow the fruit to come forward and showcase the balance of the vintage.
Blend: 72% Sauvignon Blanc, 28% Semillon
Professional Ratings
-
James Suckling
Aromas of sherbet lemon, peach and thyme. Medium-to full-bodied with lovely stone fruit on the palate. White-tea aromatics, such as jasmine, hibiscus and chamomile come through.
-
Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
Elegant and oak-focused with layers of sweet citrus, hints of green apple, vanilla and lees, the 2020 Chaleur Blanc packs a punch. Made from 72% Sauvignon Blanc and 28% Sémillon, the medium to full-bodied wine offers a luxurious texture on the palate and expands to reveal a gorgeous yet balanced structure. The wine continues to evolve and reveals citrus and oak layers over the brilliant finish.
-
Jeb Dunnuck
The 2020 Chaleur Blanc showed beautifully, with lots of ripe melon, honeyed lemon, caramelized citrus, and white flower notes in a medium to full-bodied, richly textured, racy package. It should age gracefully for a solid decade if stored correctly. This is based on 72% Sauvignon Blanc and 28% Semillon, sourced from the Boushey, Sagemoor, and Klipsun vineyards, and was 90% barrel fermented and aged all in 60% new French oak.
-
Wine Spectator
Combines brisk acidity with a plush texture, offering lemon verbena, flint and fig accents that finish on a lush note. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon.
Other Vintages
2022-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
Robert
Parker -
James
Suckling -
Wine
Spectator -
Connoisseurs'
Guide -
Wine &
Spirits
-
Jeb
Dunnuck -
James
Suckling -
Wilfred
Wong -
Robert
Parker -
Wine
Enthusiast
DeLille Cellars is a boutique artisan winery located in Woodinville, Washington. Founded in 1992 by Charles and Greg Lill, Jay Soloff, and winemaker Chris Upchurch, DeLille Cellars pioneered Bordeaux-style blends in Washington State (both red and white) - inspiring Robert Parker, in a visit to the original Chateau in Woodinville, to proclaim DeLille Cellars “the Lafite Rothschild of Washington State.”
DeLille Cellars is considered a principal influence in establishing Washington as a premier viticultural region with a strong tradition of quality and excellence over its 25-year history. Today, the winery has a portfolio of over a dozen Bordeaux and Rhône style blends true to the terroir of Washington State.
The winery's passion lies in showcasing the powerful, concentrated and structured fruit of Washington State through the European art of blending - not only through various combinations of Bordeaux and Rhone grape varieties, but also via combining fruit from acclaimed vineyards to
express the unique terroir of the region. DeLille Cellars focuses on the Red Mountain AVA and grape sourcing from Washington's leading Grand Cru vineyards, including Ciel du Cheval, Grand Ciel, Upchurch, Red Willow, Sagemoor, Klipsun, Boushey, DuBrul and Harrison Hill.
Sometimes light and crisp, other times rich and creamy, Bordeaux White Blends typically consist of Sauvignon Blanc and Semillon. Often, a small amount of Muscadelle or Sauvignon Gris is included for added intrigue. Popularized in Bordeaux, the blend is often mimicked throughout the New World. Somm Secret—Sauternes and Barsac are usually reserved for dessert, but they can be served before, during or after a meal. Try these sweet wines as an aperitif with jamón ibérico, oysters with a spicy mignonette or during dinner alongside hearty Alsatian sausage.
A large and geographically diverse AVA capable of producing a wide variety of wine styles, the Columbia Valley AVA is home to 99% of Washington state’s total vineyard area. A small section of the AVA even extends into northern Oregon!
Because of its size, it is necessarily divided into several distinctive sub-AVAs, including Walla Walla Valley and Yakima Valley—which are both further split into smaller, noteworthy appellations. A region this size will of course have varied microclimates, but on the whole it experiences extreme winters and long, hot, dry summers. Frost is a common risk during winter and spring. The towering Cascade mountain range creates a rain shadow, keeping the valley relatively rain-free throughout the entire year, necessitating irrigation from the Columbia River. The lack of humidity combined with sandy soils allows for vines to be grown on their own rootstock, as phylloxera is not a serious concern.
Red wines make up the majority of production in the Columbia Valley. Cabernet Sauvignon is the dominant variety here, where it produces wines with a pleasant balance of dark fruit and herbs. Wines made from Merlot are typically supple, with sweet red fruit and sometimes a hint of chocolate or mint. Syrah tends to be savory and Old-World-leaning, with a wide range of possible fruit flavors and plenty of spice. The most planted white varieties are Chardonnay and Riesling. These range in style from citrus and green apple dominant in cooler sites, to riper, fleshier wines with stone fruit flavors coming from the warmer vineyards.