SHOP / 2017 Minuit
Varietal
70% Malbec
30% Cabernet Sauvignon
Appellation
Yakima Valley AVA
Aging
Drink Now or Age 12+ Years
Vineyard
Quintessence
Red Willow
2017 Minuit
Yakima Valley AVA
A new name for a cuvée familiar to DeLille, the 2017 Minuit blends inky black and accessible Malbec (70%) with the power and structure of Cabernet Sauvignon (30%). Emerging from the glass are aromas of black pepper, briar, and dense berry compote. Soft and inviting on the palate, this wine offers wonderful purity and brightness in proportion with a moderate weight. It is prime for enjoying in its youth, yet the Cabernet and extended maceration of the Malbec (up to 10 weeks on skins) promise a long life in the bottle for this graceful gem.
94 Points
— Jeb Dunnuck
94 Points
The 2017 Minuit (which was reviewed last year under the 2017 Malbec Cabernet Sauvignon label) is a pretty, elegant, medium to full-bodied red that has loads of white pepper, cedar, and violets as well as a core of ripe black (and some blue) fruits. Based on 70% Malbec and 30% Cabernet Sauvignon sourced from the Quintessence and Red Willow Vineyards, aged in 60% new oak, it’s another flawlessly balanced wine from this estate that shows the vintage perfectly. Drink it any time over the coming 15 years or more.
April 2020
Additional Scores:
93+
Robert Parker
91
Wine Enthusiast
91
James Suckling
Behind the Wine
2017 Minuit
Minuit was crafted via countless trial iterations of Malbec and Cabernet Sauvignon at the blending table, seeking unity and balance. Meaning “midnight,” it is the time of day that delineates one day from the next, at once the beginning of something new and the end of a defined and fundamental cycle. This wine, black as night, embodies this notion: the conclusion of our journey in the vineyard and cellar, and the beginning of discovering the wine’s potential in the bottle and in the glass.
Vineyards
Quintessence Vineyard on Red Mountain – Originally this Malbec and Cabernet Blend was a Member-Only selection made from 100% Quintessence fruit. It became such a favorite that we added select blocks from the famed Red Willow Vineyard to expand case production.
Winemaking
Cold-soaked for 24-36 hours, fermented for 12-14 days on skin, and aged 18 months in 100% French oak (60% new).