Chaleur Blanc

Awards & Acclaim

The 2022 Chaleur Blanc is always wonderful year after year and the 2022 is no exception. A mélange of 69% Sauvignon Blanc and 31% Semillon, it was aged in 42% new French oak which is quite strong upon opening. Notes of tropical fruit, honey-coasted pear, sandalwood, and sweet cinnamon spice pop on the nose and on the palate. Serve this at a slightly lower temperature than you would expect as it drinks like a red wine – rich, structured, layered, and just plain delicious. Better in 2025.

jeremy young | jan 2024 | international wine report

This edition of the ‘Chaleur Blanc’ combines 69% Sauvignon Blanc with the remainder Semillon. Showing a deep color, this offers roasted hazelnuts on the nose with bright pear and starfruit tones. The palate is marvelously textured with showing good viscosity and weight without coming off as heavy. Very youthful and finesse-driven, this is beautiful wine to cellar over the next ten years. Drink 2023-2033

owen bargreen | may 2023 | owenbargreen.com

This Bordeaux-style white has 31% semillon blended into sauvignon blanc. Mostly barrel fermented and in 42% new French barrels, it has a tang of toasty oak backed by vivid citrus fruit. Very stylish, spicy and well-balanced by acidity. Drink or hold.

jim gordon | feb 2024 | jamesuckling.com

Supple yet vibrant, this blend has multilayered beeswax, lemon verbena and fresh fig accents that linger on the long, plush finish. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2025.

tim fish |  oct 2023 | wine spectator

The 2022 Chaleur Blanc, 69% Sauvignon Blanc and 31% Semillon, wafts up with a spicy bouquet of ripe peach, lemon zest and complementing hints of vanilla bean. It’s silky and round, with a measured inner sweetness that gives way to sour melon and a tinge of sweet mint. This cleans up beautifully-crisp, refreshing and long, with lingering hints of young kiwi. The Chaleur Blanc is fermented in 90% French oak (60% new) and 10% stainless steel. Aged seven months on lees.

tim fish |  oct 2023 | wine spectator

Really aggressive acidity rattles the olfactory system like a caged squirrel. Fresh-cut grass and juniper berry aromas duel with lime and lemon zests. Then, in an about-face, flavors like animal crackers with lemon icing and thyme present themselves along with mouthwatering acidity. This one may need some air or time to settle down.

michael alberty |  nov 2023 | wine enthusiast

A blend of 67% Sauvignon and 33% Semillon, the 2021 Chaleur Blanc will give a top Bordeaux Blanc a run for its money. Bright lemon curd, honeyed minerality, acacia flowers, and hints of brioche all define the aromatics, and it’s medium to full-bodied, with a pure, layered, seamless mouthfeel, integrated acidity, and a great finish. It’s beautifully done and will evolve for at least a decade (although I like it today).

jeb dunnuck | jun 2023 | jebdunnuck.com

Another fantastic vintage of this storied white wine from Delille Cellars, this time a combination of 67% Sauvignon Blanc and 33% Semillon. Boasting a golden lemon core with a watery rim. Perfectly balanced notes of fresh gooseberry, white wildflower, freshly washed linen, dried pineapple, roasted peach, nutmeg, and just a hint of smoked lemon peel meld together with a full-body, phenomenal freshness, well-balanced levels of acidity, and a long finish that ends a bit spicy. Cellar this one for a decade or more.

jeremy young | sep 2022 | international wine report

This wine’s gorgeous floral aromas steal the show. Wave one hits with jasmine and those delightful Hawaiian puakenikeni flowers. Wave two includes coconut, chamomile and fresh-cut grass. The wine’s mouthfeel is crisp and brisk, with flavors like grapefruit and lemon curd spread on stroopwafels.

michael alberty | apr 2023 | wine enthusiast

The 2021 Chaleur Blanc is made from 67% Sauvignon Blanc and 33% Sémillon. The nose is oaky, fresh and lifted with notes of yellow apples, sweet citrus and a delightfully soft mineral essence. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is focused, balanced and succulent with notions of lemon pastry cream and vanilla that sway with a delicate mineral tension. The wine concludes with a focused, fresh and lingering finish. At $42 a bottle, this is perhaps one of the best Washington Sauvignon Blanc/Sémillon blends in the market today. Just over 67,000 bottles were produced. This was almost all barrel fermented and barrel aged, with 51% new French oak. Impressive! Drink from 2023-2034

anthony mueller | may 2023 | robert parker wine advocate

The 2021 Chaleur Blanc is exotic and spicy with a captivating mix of gingery spice, yellow flowers and crushed green apples. This is creamy in feel with cooling acidity that propels its ripe orchard fruits, as sweet exotic spices cascade across the palate. The 2021 finishes unexpectedly fresh, yet with admirable length and potency, while leaving the mouth watering for more. This Bordeaux Blanc, a fashioned blend of 67% Sauvignon Blanc and 33% Sémillon, is an absolute pleasure to taste.

eric guido | oct 2022 | vinous

The 2020 ‘Chaleur Estate Blanc’ white wine is a gorgeous blend of 73% Sauvignon Blanc with the remainder Semillon. The Semillon really seems to be showing a lot here with banana and melon alongside wet stone and lemon blossom that all mingle in the glass. The palate shows good freshness and weight with a great sense of elegance and minerality. The length adds to the enjoyment. Drink 2021-2031

 owen bargreen | apr 2021 | owenbargreen.com

Combines brisk acidity with a plush texture, offering lemon verbena, flint and fig accents that finish on a lush note. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now.

tim fish | jun 2022 | wine spectator

Dried apple, pear skin, herbs, lemon and cedar on the nose. It’s medium-to full-bodied with bright acidity and tight, textured layers. Concentrated and focused with a long, toasty and balanced finish.

james suckling | jul 2021 | jamessuckling.com

Pale bright yellow. Subtle oak spices complement but also partly mask ripe scents of lemon zest, white stone fruits and damp rock. Intensely flavored and seriously rich but firm and youthfully under wraps. The spicy quality intensifies the citrus, white peach and fresh hay flavors and carries the very long, bracing finish. As young as this is today, the spicy oak sweetness gives it some early appeal, and the wine shows no edges. But it would be a shame not to hold onto it for at least a year or two, as my experience with this bottling (see my vertical tasting published on Vinous in January of this year) suggests it routinely evolves gracefully for a decade or more in a properly cool cellar. (the 25th vintage for what I consider to be Washington State’s top white wine)

stephen tanzer | dec 2020 | vinous

The 2019 Chaleur Blanc celebrates its 25th year with a blend of 69% Sauvignon Blanc and 31% Sémillon. Opening with a beautifully floral nose lifted by the elegance of French oak, the wine has aromas of crushed citrus blossom with subtle notes of cheese rind, juicy yellow apples and Key lime pie nuances that capture your attention. Medium to full-bodied, the palate is broad, waxy and textured, ending with energetic acidity on the long, pleasing finish. The wine was 90% barrel fermented in French oak, 60% first fill. 48,000 bottles produced. It’s going to be hard to beat this quality at this price. Bravo!

anthony mueller | oct 2020 | the wine advocate

One of the top Bordeaux white blends from the New World, the 2018 Chaleur Estate Blanc is based on 71% Sauvignon and 29% Semillon brought up in barrel. It has a beautiful bouquet of ripe pineapple, peach, white flowers, and hints of sugared lemon. With good acidity, medium-bodied richness, and terrific balance, it can be enjoyed any time over the coming decade or more.

jeb dunnuck | apr 2020 | jeb dunnuck

Sauvignon Blanc makes up most of this blend at 71%, with the rest Sémillon. Aromas of gooseberry, herb, the underside of a pineapple, miso and toast are followed by full-bodied, intense, richly textured kiwi, pineapple and herb flavors that show great depth. A hyperextended finish follows. It’s the best example of this style in the state. Best after 2022.

sean P. Sullivan | jan 2020 | wine enthusiast

Gold-tinged yellow. Wonderfully complex nose melds musky peach, nectarine, nuts, shiso leaf, sage and sexy leesy nuances. Broad, bone-dry and penetrating, but at the same time laid-back in the way of a young Domaine de Chevalier Blanc. Wonderfully energetic and savory, with a fresh apricot flavor accented by a lemony topnote. Finishes with terrific length and lift. After an hour of aeration, this utterly seamless wine took on an almost meaty muskiness without any loss of vibrancy.

stephen tanzer | dec 2019 | vinous

The wine’s aromas are arresting in notes of lemon pith, herb, stone fruit, fig, spice, mineral and citrus. Full-bodied, layered and exquisitely balanced fruit flavors follow with a zing of electric, lemony acidity stitching it all together. The fig- and tropical fruit-filled finish seems near endless. It’s showing beautifully now, but should only get better with some time in the cellar. Best 2020–2025.

sean P. Sullivan | mar 2019 | wine enthusiast

(90% barrel-fermented, 60% new, then aged entirely in barrels for six months with batonnage): Full, bright yellow. Aromas of nectarine, white peach, coconut, fig and spices, plus a whiff of pine forest. Concentrated, layered wine with stone fruit flavors complicated by a savory element. Really maintains its thickness and verve through the subtle, palate-staining finish. A wonderfully food-friendly, complex wine. (13.8% alcohol)

stephen tanzer | nov 2018 | vinous

Always one of the best whites in the vintage, the 2017 Chaleur Blanc delivers the goods and is a beautiful, Bordeaux Blanc look-alike that has classy lemon curd, citrus, mint, and green herb aromas and flavors. Medium-bodied and beautifully textured, it will keep for 4-5 years. The 2017 is primarily Sauvignon Blanc but includes 30% Semillon and was brought up in 60% new French oak.

jeb dunnuck | apr 2019 |jebdunnuck.com

(60% new oak; made with a lot of lees contact): Bright, light yellow-gold. Multidimensional nose melds aromas of stone fruits, pineapple and pear with notes of savory spices, honey and lemon grass and a Riesling-like piney quality. Compellingly fine-grained, concentrated and harmonious from the start, with a suggestion of figgy sweetness (the wine is technically bone-dry) perfectly countered by strong acidity. Finishes tactile and very long, with a suggestion of eucalyptus. Most recent vintages of this consistently superb wine have been considerably tighter early on, but this is a knockout nonetheless and has the balance for mid-term aging.

stephen tanzer | oct 2017 | vinous

A blend of 68% Sauvignon Blanc and 32% Sémillon, the 2016 Chaleur Blanc offers up notes of citrus pith, subtle gooseberry, paraffin wax and botanicals. On the palate, it’s medium-bodied, textural and bright, with good concentration and racy, mouthwatering acids, concluding with a youthfully chalky finish. I suspect that this 5,000-case cuvée would be an interesting candidate for cellaring, as it has the balance and cut to develop for a decade.

william kelley | jun 2018 | the wine advocate

This blend of 68% Sauvignon Blanc and 32% Sémillon pops on the nose, with white grapefruit, guava, toast, fig, pineapple and herb notes. The flavors are rich and fruit-filled yet exquisitely balanced, with a knee-buckling texture and a warm finish. It’s a standout.

Sean p. Sullivan | sep 2018 | wine enthusiast

(60% new oak; 5,600 cases produced): Bright lemon-yellow. Fully ripe but exhilaratingly sappy aromas of tropical fruits, lemon oil, fig and honeysuckle. Very sexy, complex and smooth on the palate, with expressive flavors of citrus fruits, honey, wild herbs and flowers (Upchurch described the wine as “more Smith-Haut-Lafitte than Domaine de Chevalier in style,” which isn’t much of a stretch considering its high quality in recent years). Finishes with outstanding subtle length and thrust. The Sauvignon Blanc from Sagemoor, reportedly the oldest planting of this variety in the state, makes up a good percentage of this wine. Incidentally, this is DeLille Cellars’ 22nd year of making a white Bordeaux blend in Washington.

stephen tanzer | nov 2016 | vinous

I’ve always loved this cuvee, and the 2015 Chaleur Estate Blanc is no exception. Made from 73% Sauvignon Blanc and 27% Semillon, fermented sur lie in barrel, it has the classic minerality found in Bordeaux whites as well as lots of buttered citrus, mango, lychee and honeyed nuances. It has a supple, forward texture, racy acidity and a great finish. It’s an impeccably made, versatile white to drink over the coming 2-3 years, or cellar for a decade if you’re so inclined.

jeb dunnuck | jun 2017 | vinous

(13.2% alcohol; 90% barrel-fermented; full malolactic fermentation): Bright, light yellow. Alluring aromas of stone fruits, pineapple, honey, smoked meat and lees, with complicating notes of pine needles and forest floor. Fat, layered and sweet, boasting terrific fruit concentration and a hint of dried fig from the Semillon. Less than two grams per liter residual sugar. A wonderfully rich, fine-grained white wine with sexy leesy complexity.

stephen tanzer | nov 2015 | vinous

The 2014 Chaleur Estate Blanc is another terrific white from this estate that readers need to seek out. Bitter citrus, white flowers, mint and leafy herbs all give way to a rich, textured, medium-bodied white that has solid mid-palate concentration, nicely integrated acidity and a great finish. I like it today, but it should drink beautifully for at least 3-4 years, if not longer.

jeb dunnuck | jun 2016 | the wine advocate

(a 65/35 blend of Sauvignon Blanc and semillon): Full, bright green-gold color. Noble aromas of citrus oil, apple, brioche and curry powder. Wonderfully sappy and concentrated, with guava, lime and mineral flavors complemented but not overwhelmed by sexy oak. Most impressive today on the extremely long, rising finish. I’d love to pour this incredible Washington State white wine next to a young Domaine de Chevalier blanc. Stunning quality for the price.

stephen tanzer | dec 2014 | vinous

Another stunning white from this team is the 2013 Chaleur Estate Blanc. A blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Semillon that barrel fermented, it sports a light gold color to go with a sweet bouquet of buttered citrus, crushed rock, white flowers and toasted almond. One of the few serious white Bordeaux blends being made in the US, this medium to full-bodied beauty has a core of sweet fruit, integrated acidity, sensational purity and dry, clean finish. While I suspect it will age just fine, I see no reason to delay gratification and would drink bottles over the coming couple of years.

jeb dunnuck | jun 2015 | the wine advocate

(a 65/35 blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon; fermented and aged on its lees, with weekly lees stirring, in 70% new oak for three months): Aromas of pear, peach, melon and honeysuckle are complicated by a mineral element. Dense and creamy, offering terrific depth to its pear and honeysuckle flavors. Displays a terrific balance of semillon richness and energy. Finishes with strong fruit and excellent cut. A beauty.

stephen tanzer | nov 2013 | vinous

One of the top white Bordeaux blends coming out of the US today, the 2012 Chaleur Estate Blanc is a 100% barrel-fermented blend of 65% Sauvignon Blanc and 35% Semillon. It gives up exotic lychee nut, citrus blossom, melon and honeycomb to go with a medium to full-bodied, textured and rich style on the palate that keeps you coming back to the glass. Loaded with sweet fruit and showing fantastic length, as well as a clean, dry finish, enjoy this beauty over the coming 4 – 5 years.

jeb dunnuck | jun 2014 | the wine advocate

Modeled on a white Bordeaux, this is a lovely, lightly toasty blend of two-thirds Sauvignon Blanc and one-third Sémillon. The pretty fruit mixes candied lemon, peach and pear with streaks of butterscotch and a suggestion of hazelnuts.

paul gregutt | jul 2014 | wine enthusiast

(62% sauvignon blanc and 38% semillon; aged in 65% new oak): Bright yellow-gold. Knockout nose combines lemon drop, mirabelle, underbrush and botanical herbs, with some honey and guava notes from the semillon. Silky and suave yet gripping too, conveying an impression of outstanding intensity without weight. Captivating flavors of lemon zest, honey and dried herbs are lifted by a sexy floral quality. Finishes firm, classically dry and very long. A great vintage for this bottling. Winemaker Upchurch noted that he’s using a bit more CO2 these days but less SO2. This wine could do major damage in a blind flight with some high-end Bordeaux whites.

stephen tanzer | nov 2012 | vinous

Starting off the Bordeaux blends, the 2011 Chaleur Estate Blanc is comprised of 62% Sauvignon Blanc and 38% Semillon (from Boushey, Klipsun and Sagemoor Vineyards) aged in 70% new oak. Gorgeously rich and mineral-laced on the nose, with hints of lime peel, green herbs and honeycomb, it flows onto the palate with a medium to full-bodied texture, beautiful mid-palate depth, lively acidity and rock-solid length on the finish. Classy all around, it’s a serious effort that can be consumed now and over the coming 5-7 years or more. Drink now-2018.

jeb dunnuck | jun 2013 | the wine advocate

Styled after the great white wines of Bordeaux, this is fresh and clean, with luscious mixed fruit flavors that emphasize apple and melon. A cooler vintage has produced a wine of low alcohol and real finesse, with a light dusting of toasty oak. Given its impeccable balance, it could be cellared for another 6–8 years.

paul gregutt | dec 2012 | wine enthusiast

(an 80/20 blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon; the winery cut back on the percentage of semillon in 2010): Bright full yellow. Knockout nose combines musky curry powder and cumin notes with pineapple oil, ginger and chlorophyll; today it’s the sauvignon blanc that dominates. Then supple and intense in the mouth, with excellent acidity serving to frame and intensify the peach, citrus, chlorophyll and basil flavors. Finishes very long, serious and suave, leaving an impression of fairly low alcohol. A beauty.

stephen tanzer | dec 2011 | vinous

This new vintage of Chaleur Estate Blanc is still quite young and tight. It shows the toasty scents of pretty new oak, set in an elegant frame of mixed fruits. Cucumber, apple, citrus and melon flavors emerge, suggesting an overall lighter style from a cooler vintage. Graceful and polished.

paul gregutt | feb 2012 | wine enthusiast

A fresh and citrusy white, this is juicy, delivering lemon and verbena aromas and flavors. A touch of tobacco and hint of butter mark the finish. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2014. 1,250 cases made.

harvey steiman | 2012 | wine spectator

Consistent year after year, this blend of 67% Sauvignon Blanc and 33% Sémillon is modeled after top-flight white Bordeaux. Deep gold, toasty and scented with olive oil, walnuts and loam, it hits the palate full-on with a rainbow of flavors: citrus, stone and tropical fruits, all accented with toast, oil and nuts from barrel aging. Riveting, delicious and unique.

paul gregutt | jul 2011 | wine enthusiast

(a 68/32 blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon; aged in 75% new oak for six months) Complex nose melds ginger, lemon drop, mirabelle, honey and spicy oak. Then dense, sappy and highly concentrated, with a strong spice quality and a distinctly tactile impression of structure. This very rich wine benefits from the piquant citrus zest and gooseberry notes contributed by the sauvignon component. The yields in 2009 were lower than usual, noted winemaker Peterson, and some of the sauvignon blanc was fermented with wild yeasts. This bottling has consistently been one of Washington’s finest whites in recent vintages, and is a serious outperformer in 2009, a tricky vintage for white wines in Washington.

stephen tanzer | nov 2010 | vinous

This barrel-fermented style has rich, silky texture and layers of pear, orange peel, pineapple and fig flavor. This isn’t weighty, but is wrapped in spicy oak on the finish. In the end, this keeps its balance. Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon. Drink now through 2013. 1,700 cases made.

harvey steiman | oct 2011 | wine spectator

DeLille’s take on a first-growth Bordeaux Blanc really shines in this excellent vintage. Toasty and firm, it captures the lushness of the Sémillon fruit while mixing in bright citrus. The barrel aging adds warm brioche, toasted almond and caramel. There is just a tiny suggestion of honey in the finish, a rush of tropical fruits.

paul gregutt | aug 2010 | wine enthusiast

(a 62/38 blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon) Sexy aromas of orange blossom and almond, plus a whiff of Rainier cherry. Sweet, concentrated and fat, with a subtle honeyed quality to the sexy fruit and smoke flavors. A leesy complexity adds to the wine’s appeal. This boasts terrific intensity for Washington State white wine and finishes with superb persistence. The percentage of new oak used for this cuvee has declined steadily from 100% in 2005 to 60% in this 2008, and I applaud this strategy.

stephen tanzer | nov 2009 | vinous

The 2008 Chaleur Estate Blanc is a barrel-fermented and aged blend of 62% Sauvignon Blanc and 38% Semillon sourced from 4 of eastern Washington’s finest terroirs. Medium gold-colored, it reveals an outstanding perfume of mineral, grilled brioche, citrus, gooseberry, honey, and fig. Creamy-textured, round, and already complex with all components nicely integrated, it should drink nicely for at least 5-6 years.

jay s miller | aug 2010 | the wine advocate

(68% sauvignon blanc and 32% semillon) Bright, full yellow with a green tinge. Pure aromas of pineapple, pear, chlorophyll and high-toned spicy oak. Bright, pure and penetrating in the mouth, with terrific density and nuance to the flavors of lime zest, minerals and coconut. For all its depth, this conveys a rare light touch. This belongs on the same table as a top-tier white Bordeaux; I was reminded of Domaine de Chevalier! One of the most exciting white wines I’ve tasted to date from Washington.

steven tanzer | nov 2008 | vinous

Make no mistake—the model for this wine can be found among the classified growth white wines of Bordeaux. The barrel influences are many and varied, layering in a mix of smoke, caramel and cracker; and the fruit is supple and beautifully blended. White raisins, Asian pears, pineapple and peaches blend together gracefully, and the alcohol remains at a moderate 13.8%.

paul gregutt | mar 2009 | wine enthusiast

The 2007 Chaleur Estate Blanc is composed of 68% Sauvignon Blanc and 32% Semillon sourced from Boushey, Sagemoor, and Klipsun Vineyards, some of the finest sites in the Columbia Valley. Medium straw-colored, it offers up a superb aromatic array of spring flowers, fresh herbs, citrus, toasted almonds, and candle wax. Medium-bodied and creamy-textured, on the palate citrus, pear, and baking spice notes emerge leading to a lengthy, fruit-filled finish. Like a top-class Pessac-Leognan from Bordeaux, it should take on additional complexity with several more years of bottle age although it can be enjoyed now.

jay s miller | oct 2009 | the wine advocate

Rich and smoky, this Sauvignon Blanc-Sémillon blend delivers a nose suggesting golden raisins, ripe figs, white peaches and light streaks of butter, honey and caramel. The fruit and wood are balanced and the alcohol is a moderate 13.5%. Everything here is in proportion, layered, smooth and seductive. More than past vintages, this is a Chaleur blanc that seems destined to age and develop over the next decade or more.

paul gregutt | may 2008 | wine enthusiast

One white wine is produced under the DeLille label. The 2006 Chaleur Estate Blanc is a blend of 61% Sauvignon Blanc and 39% Semillon. The wine goes through full malolactic fermentation with lees stirring. Medium straw-colored, it has an enticing bouquet of spring flowers, melon, and fresh herbs. Toasty, complex, and mouth-coating, this full-flavored wine could easily pass for a top Pessac-Leognan like Fieuzal. It can be enjoyed now and over the next several years.

Jay s Miller | jun 2008 | the wine advocate

(a 69/31 blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon) Pale yellow. Aromas of lemon, toast and straw; very much in a white Bordeaux style. Ripe, dense and quite dry but with an intriguingly saline, tactile quality and a honeyed nuance giving it a subtle sweetness. Finishes ripe and persistent, with late hints of honey and herbs. Winemaker Peterson has cut back on the percentage of new oak (it’s now 80% rather than 100%), and this is all to the good.

steven tanzer | nov 2008 | vinous

A rich, golden, toasty, hedonistic wine. Ripe and loaded with gorgeous fruit: sweet citrus, pineapple, grapefruit, peach and stone fruit. As it moves through the palate it’s laced with smoke and toast, while the fruit core expands into marmalade and tupelo honey, and the wine grows unctuous and creamy. Doesn’t taste like a young wine, but it certainly will continue to round out and develop further in the bottle.

paul gregutt | mar 2007 | wine enthusiast

(Sauvignon Blanc with 21% Semillon) Good pale color. Pungent aromas of peach, apricot, honeysuckle and sexy oak spices. Wonderfully concentrated and dense, with enticing early sweetness for this bottling. Expressive, fruit-driven flavors of apricot, peach, spices, herbs and flowers. Offers a sneakily rich mouth feel but lovely balance keeps this fruit bomb light on its feet. I love the way the citric, herbal sauvignon combines with the richer dried fruit quality and plush texture of the semillon. Finishes very long and sweet. This bottling has been far more pliant in recent vintages, and is now one of a handful of elite Washington whites.

steven tanzer | nov 2007 | vinous

One white wine was offered for tasting, the 2005 Chaleur Estate Blanc. It is composed of 79% Sauvignon Blanc and 21% Semillon, was raised in 100% new French oak, went through full malolactic, and aging sur-lie with batonnage. The result is a wine that could easily pass for a top Pessac-Leognan such as Fieuzal or Smith-Haut-Lafitte. Light gold-colored with a superb perfume of fresh herbs, melon, butterscotch, and spring flowers, this is followed by a plush wine with palate-coating flavors, excellent depth, and a long finish. This wine may evolve in the manner of a top white Bordeaux but it is difficult to resist now.

Jay S Miller | aug 2007 | the wine advocate

DeLille Cellars’ Bordeaux white is consistently among the best in the country. Rich and buttery, just this side of unctuous, it is smoothly styled with lingering layers of citrus oils, stone fruits, melon and nuts. Big but not blowsy, broad yet still focused, it weaves together seamlessly, layering in flavors right through the finish.

paul gregutt | dec 2005 | wine enthusiast

(a 58/42 blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon) Pale gold color. Highly complex nose offers honey, lemon, pineapple, lanolin, mint and a hint of oak spice; very much in a Bordeaux style. Then juicy and intense, with nuanced flavors of sweet pineapple, star fruit and spices. Finishes with excellent grip, impressive length and a lingering suggestion of pine nuts. Very impressive Washington State white wine.

steven tanzer | nov 2026 | vinous

A blend of 58% Sauvignon Blanc and 42% Semillon, it has rich aromatics that offer notes of vanilla bean and melon balls. On the palate, this broad, medium-bodied effort displays outstanding depth of fruit and a silky texture. (Note: It should be served warmer than most whites). Dried honey, pears, apples, and honeydew melon flavors are intermingled with spices in its complex personality. Drink it over the next 3-4 years.

pierre rovani | apr 2026 | the wine advocate

(a 67/33 blend of sauvignon blanc and semillon, fermented in all new oak) Aromas of citrus skin and spicy, resiny, charry oak, with a waxy lanolin quality from the semillon. Rich, broad and ripe, with unusual generosity of texture for this wine. Complex, fruit-driven flavors of lemon, orange, kiwi and spices. Very pliant and very long. Already attractive but capable of several years of development in bottle.

steven tanzer | nov 2005 | vinous