SHOP / 2020 Chaleur Estate Red Blend 1.5L
Varietal
63% Cabernet Sauvignon
24% Merlot
11% Cabernet Franc
2% Petit Verdot
Appellation
Yakima Valley AVA
Aging
Drink Now or Age 5 to 20 Years
Vineyard
Ciel Du Cheval
DuBrul
2020 Chaleur Estate Red Blend 1.5L
Red Mountain AVA
The 1982 Cabernet Sauvignon vines from Ciel du Cheval are once again the soul of this wine and responsible for its incredible richness. Marionberry, green peppercorn, fresh truffle and pomegranate seed are muddled with baking spices and warm oak undertones. DuBrul Vineyard Merlot (23%) provides fresh blueberry and Maraschino cherry notes while rounding out the mid-palate to create a seamless transition to a dense, pondering finish. With plenty of time to open up, there is everything to love about this effort. Cellaring 12+ years will help tame the tannins and bring along even more complexity.
95 Points
— Anthony Mueller, Robert Parker's Wine Advocate
95 Points
A blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 24% Merlot, 11% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot, the 2020 Chaleur Estate is firm, fresh and floral with notions of elegant red berries and oak tones on the nose. Full-bodied, tight and focused, the palate offers a clean frame of picturesque cherries and red plums while exuding finesse and precision. Balanced, complex and lively, the wine continues to evolve over the long-lingering, food-friendly finish. Only 7,272 bottles were made after the wine spent almost two years in all-new French oak barrels.
May 2023
Additional Scores:
95
Jeb Dunnuck
95
Owen Bargreen
94
James Suckling
Behind the Wine
2020 Chaleur Estate Red Blend 1.5L
DeLille Cellars’ inaugural wine, Chaleur Estate marks the foundation on which the winery has built its craft of blending Washington State fruit in the traditional style. This wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend of Bordeaux varietals, with a focus on Red Mountain vineyards. The result is a wine of depth, complexity, focus and elegance that personifies the French word for warmth, chaleur.
Vineyards
Ciel du Cheval is one of Washington’s most prestigious vineyards. The 1982 planting of Cabernet Sauvignon at this famed Red Mountain site is the backbone of Chaleur Estate.
Winemaking
Cold soaked 24-36 hours, fermented 14-16 days on skin, aged 20 months in 100% French oak (100% new) and aged in bottle 8 months prior to release.