2020 | 2019 | 2018 | 2017 | 2016 | 2015 | 2014 | 2013 | 2012 | 2011 | 2010 | 2009 | 2008 | 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1995 | 1994
98
2020 Harrison Hill
Instantly impressive in the glass is the 2020 Harrison Hill made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc. The nose is focused and bright with a delightful strawberry character. It is perhaps one of the best bottlings I’ve tasted in many years, and it boggles my mind that it came from a vintage with so many challenges. The nose is devastatingly gorgeous with focused floral notes that waft with picturesque, vibrant fruit tones. Medium to full-bodied, the wine unfolds on the palate, revealing plenty of length and complexity. The wine is layered and focused, showing that its power comes not from being bold and overbearing but rather precise, focused and elegant. This gorgeous wine will continue to offer immense pleasure for decades. Just over 3,500 bottles were filled after the wine aged about two years and all French oak, 92% new.
Anthony Mueller | May 2023 | ROBERT PARKER WINE ADVOCATE
92
2020 Harrison Hill
Notes of cassis and ripe blackberries with spiced-chocolate and wet-earth undertones. It’s succulent and sleek with dark and blue fruit on offer. Medium-bodied with supple tannins and a flavorful finish. Cabernet sauvignon, merlot and cabernet franc. Drink or hold.
James Suckling | APR 2023 | Jamessuckling.com
95
2020 Harrison Hill
I always love this cuvée from Delille, and their 2020 Harrison Hill is another beautiful wine as well as one of my favorites in the lineup. Revealing a transparent ruby/plum hue, it’s medium to full-bodied and silky on the palate, with fine-grained tannins, a layered, elegant mouthfeel, and already complex notes of red and black berries, leafy herbs, black tea, sandalwood, and flowery incense. This balanced, nuanced, layered red isn’t the biggest or richest in the vintage, yet it shines for its incredible complexity and balance. The blend is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 23% Merlot, and the rest Cabernet Franc.
Jeb Dunnuck | Jun 2023 | jebdunnuck.COM
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95+
2019 Harrison Hill
A great vintage for this cuvée, the 2019 Cabernet Sauvignon Harrison Hill is a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 12% Cabernet Franc from a tiny appellation just west of Red Mountain. Gorgeous notes of blackcurrants, tobacco leaf, flowers, sandalwood, and Asian spices give way to a medium to full-bodied red with supple, elegant tannins, beautiful overall balance, and a great finish. It’s never the biggest or richest wine in the lineup, but it shines for its complexity, elegance, and balance, and is already a joy to drink. It’s going to keep for two decades.
JEB DUNNUCK | Jul 2021 | JEBDUNNUCK.COM
91
2019 Harrison Hill
The 2019 Harrison Hill, a blend of 63% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 12% Cabernet Franc from the 1962 plantings in the Snipes vineyard, is spicy, with dusty florals, peppery herbs and dried black cherries forming its bouquet. This fills the palate with soothingly round textures, as ripe red and hints of blue fruit are carried across a core of brisk acidity. Hints of blueberry and lavender linger through the lightly structured finale, as the 2019 leaves the palate with a classically dry sensation. In the end, I find myself craving a little more depth. Of note is that the 2019 Harrison Hill clocks in at an impressive 13% alcohol.
Eric Guido | Mar 2023 | Vinous
91
2019 Harrison Hill
Inviting aromas of sour cherry, cedar and red licorice. Medium-bodied with fine tannins. Juicy and fresh on the palate with good balance. 63% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot and 12% cabernet franc. Drink now.
James Suckling | APR 2022 | Jamessuckling.com
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93
2018 Harrison Hill
De-Lille’s monopole from Snipes Mountain, a north-facing vineyard set on a gravelly slope, produced a blend that’s slightly floral, the violet scents filling out with air along with a core of dark berry fruit. The texture succulent and satisfying, for carne asada.
Patrick J. Comiskey | Dec 2021 | WINE & SPIRITS
95
2018 Harrison Hill
The 2018 Harrison Hill is a gorgeous effort by Jason Gorski and his DeLille Cellars winemaking team. Black florals combine with red cherry, black berry cobbler and suggestions of Asian spices on the nose. The palate is rich, viscous and elegant, with refined tannins holding everything in place. Enjoy this outstanding new wine over the next 15-plus years.
Owen Bargreen | Mar 2022 | VINOUS
95
2018 Harrison Hill
The 2018 Harrison Hill is a blend of 61% Cabernet Sauvignon, 26% Merlot, and the balance Cabernet Franc all from Snipes Mountain, located west of Red Mountain. Brought up in 100% new French oak, it’s never the deepest colored Cabernet out there, but it has an almost opaque hue as well as beautiful red and black currant fruits intermixed with lots of floral, cedar, and leafy herb nuances. I always love the elegance and complexity of this cuvée, and the 2018 has those qualities in spades. More medium-bodied, beautifully balanced, and lengthy, it will benefit from 2-4 years of bottle age and keep for 20 years or more.
JEB DUNNUCK | May 2021 | JEBDUNNUCK.COM
93
2018 Harrison Hill
This vintage remarkably commemorates the 25th anniversary of this wine. Sourced from this unique site on Snipes Mountain, the wine shows classic sandalwood and dried sage tones alongside wild blackberry and milk chocolate aromatics that are all deftly woven together in the glass. The palate is plush with a great core of dark fruits and chocolate, as firm tannins hold everything in place. The generous texture and good length add to the enjoyment. Fully enjoyable now, this will only continue to improve with some short-term cellaring. Drink 2022-2040
OWEN BARGREEN | APR 2021 | OWENBARGREEN.COM
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92
2017 Harrison Hill
Two-thirds of this are Cabernet Sauvignon, with the rest Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Its pleasing aromas of roasted coffee bean, fresh savory herb, green flower and cherry are followed by light, elegant flavors. Toasty flavors linger on the finish. It’s a very pretty, elegant expression of this site with a very long life ahead of it. Best after 2027.
Sean P. Sullivan | Dec 2020 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
93
2017 Harrison Hill
Dark red. The least fruity of these Bordeaux blends, with its warm, inviting nose showing a hint of strawberry but also sandalwood, tobacco leaf, iron, mocha, peppery herbs and earth. Smooth, seamless, savory wine with gentle herb, olive and spice notes and a strong impression of site character. More red fruits than black. A very pliant, classically dry blend, finishing with harmonious tannins and lovely rising perfumed length. This highly distinctive Cabernet Sauvignon-based wine carries just 13.7% alcohol; the rest of DeLille Cellars’ reds are 14.1% to 14.6%. More open-knit than the outstanding 2016 Harrison Hill and likely to give earlier pleasure but it would be a shame not to give this wine at least another year of two in the cellar. With its energy, clarity and lift, this was a sentimental favorite in my tastings this fall.
Stephen Tanzer | Dec 2020 | VINOUS
94
2017 Harrison Hill
From an old-vine north-facing site on Snipes Mountain, in the heart of the Yakima Valley, this blend of mostly cabernet and merlot is grainy and herbaceous when first poured, lighter than many cab-based blends from Washington. The fruit is limpid and pure, weightless, lasting with a clarity of line and starburst acidity for days.
Patrick J. Comiskey | Oct 2020 | WINE & SPIRITS
95
2017 Harrison Hill
Composed of a blend of 67% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 8% Cabernet Franc, the 2017 Harrison Hill begins with fresh ripe, dusty red fruits. Red plum, dark cherry skin, redcurrant and soft elements of dried sage, dusty red flowers and hints of cinnamon waft out of the glass. Medium to full-bodied, the wine is firm with a mineral tension and still-tight tannins, yet it offers elegance with a red-fruited profile that will blossom with bottle age. Concluding with a long, lingering finish, set this one aside for at least another year before opening, and enjoy for another two decades. This spent 20 months in all French oak, 92% new. 3,400 bottles produced.
Anthony Mueller | OCT 2020 | Wine Advocate
93
2017 Harrison Hill
I always love the Harrison Hill Cabernet from Delille, which comes from old vines in the Snipes Mountain AVA. The 2017 is a classic expression of this terroir and offers a more ruby/purple hue as well as complex notes of spiced red and black fruits, leafy herbs, wood smoke, and cedar pencil. Medium to full-bodied, elegant, and seamless on the palate, it’s never the biggest or richness wine in the lineup, but it always shines for its complexity as well as classic Cabernet style. Drink it any time over the coming 20+ years.
Jeb Dunnuck | Apr 2020 | jebdunnuck.COM
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95
2016 Harrison Hill
Always one of the most complex in the lineup, the 2016 Cabernet Sauvignon Harrison Hill comes from Snipes Mountain and always reminds me of a top wine from Margaux with its elegance and complexity. Blackberries, blackcurrants, sandalwood, graphite, and tobacco leaf notes all emerge from this medium to full-bodied Cabernet that has silky tannins and a nuanced, elegant texture. It’s going to benefit from short-term cellaring and keep for 15-20 years.
Jeb Dunnuck | Apr 2019 | jebdunnuck.COM
94
2016 Harrison Hill
Since 1994, DeLille has been working with fruit from Harrison Hill, a vineyard within the relatively new Snipes Mountain AVA, an anomalous anticline of gravel and loess at the southern end of the Yakima Valley. The cabernet sauvignon in this blend (64 percent) was planted in 1962; the merlot and cabernet franc in the mid-1990s. In 2016, the vineyard produced a wine with a loose-limbed radiance, as if a summer’s day is glinting off its surface, with flavors less about fruit than an easy cedary savor. It’s thoroughly satisfying now, but will reward cellaring. (400 cases)
Jun 2019 | WINE & SPIRITS
92
2016 Harrison Hill
A handsome red, showing refinement and structure, offering poised blackberry, lead pencil and black tea notes that finish with polished tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc and Petit Verdot. Drink now through 2026.
TIM FISH | JUN 2019 | WINE Spectator
93+
2016 Harrison Hill
A blend of 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot, the 2016 Harrison Hill Vineyard has a rich and full expression, leading with Cabernet characteristics. It displays notes of soft red spices on the nose, with a dark-berried core of fruit, hints of oak and rocky minerality. The palate is clean, with structuring tannins and a layered base of dusty fruit that evolves to show nuanced herbal flavors on the mid-palate. The finish is long and thoughtful. This is a small 325-case production.
Anthony Mueller | DEC 2019 | 246, THE WINE ADVOCATE
92
2016 Harrison Hill
The aromas intrigue, with nuanced notes of thyme, green pepper, dried tobacco, dried herbs and cherry. Light, graceful fruit flavors follow, with enough structure supporting it to do well in the cellar. Coffee notes finish it off. This lovely offering is all about subtlety.
Sean P. Sullivan | OCT 2019 | WINE Enthusiast
91
2016 Harrison Hill
This has raspberry-pastry aromas with woody spices and custard-powder notes. The palate has medium body and the flavors sit in a spiced red-berry zone. A blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, cabernet franc and petit verdot. Approachable now.
James Suckling | JUl 2019 | JAMESSUCKLING.com
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97
2015 Harrison Hill
Incorporating 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc, as well as the fruit of Washington State’s oldest Cabernet Sauvignon vines (planted in 1962), the 2015 Harrison Hill is superb, wafting from the glass with notes of cassis, cherries, black tea, sweet cocoa nib and subtle pencil shavings. On the palate, it’s full-bodied, velvety and layered, with superb depth and dimension, its tannins abundant but beautifully pixelated and its finish tangy and lingering. I’d expect this absolutely superb Bordeaux blend to see out its 30th birthday in style, but plan on cellaring it for 4 or 5 years at the bare minimum to allow it to realize all its considerable potential. Effortlessly balanced, this was my favorite of the DeLille Cellars wines reviewed here.
William Kelley | Jun 2018 | 237, The Wine Advocate
96
2015 Harrison Hill
I always find a subtle Château Margaux-like quality in this cuvée and the 2015 Harrison Hill is no exception. Beautiful notes of sandalwood, sweet cassis, blueberries, forest floor, and graphite are just some of the nuances here. Hitting the palate with medium to full-bodied richness, it has sweet, elegant tannins, beautiful balance, and a terrific sweetness of fruit that keeps you coming back to the glass. It needs a healthy decant if drinking anytime soon and will be even better with 3-4 years of bottle age, at which point it will drink nicely for two decades or more. The blend of the 2015 is 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, and 10% Cabernet Franc, aged all in New French barrels.
Jeb Dunnuck | apr 2018 | jebdunnuck.com
94
2015 Harrison Hill
Dark red with ruby tones. Aromas and flavors of black raspberry and licorice are lifted by a floral topnote. At once juicy and deep, conveying an uncanny creaminess of texture (the oldest vines here were planted in 1962 but even the youngest are now 24 years of age). Seriously complex wine with captivating sweetness of fruit complicated by a savory herbal quality and sexy oaky lift (75% new). Executive winemaker Chris Upchurch noted that this fruit smells like cannabis when it’s crushed. Delivers a remarkable combination of texture, sweetness and weightlessness and finishes extremely long, with suave tannins and no edges. A great vintage for this bottling. (14% alcohol)
Stephen Tanzer | Jul 2018 | Vinous.com
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95
2014 Harrison Hill
Coming from old Cabernet Sauvignon vines planted on Snipes Mountain, the 2014 Harrison Hill is a thrilling expression of Cabernet from Washington State. Possessing a singular bouquet of tobacco leaf, cedar, cherry, currants and spice, this medium to full-bodied beauty is seamless, impeccably balanced and has a great finish. It’s one of those wines that grows on you with time in the glass, and while I thought it would need cellaring when I tasted it from barrel, it’s already drinking beautifully. Nevertheless, it should be at its finest from 2022-2040.
Jeb Dunnuck | JUN 2017 | 231, THE WINE ADVOCATE
93
2014 Harrison Hill
This blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc 1% Petit Verdot comes from some of the state’s oldest plantings. Its vibrant, complex blackberry, cranberry, black currant, green pepper and dried herb aromas lead to a light, tightly wound but elegant palate with exquisite balance and texture. The finish goes on as long as you care to count. Far from a big, bold bruiser, this is a very sophisticated wine. Best 2026–2034.
Sean P. Sullivan | Sep 2018 | WINE Enthusiast
93
2014 Harrison Hill
(13.9% alcohol; the Cabernet Sauvignon vines were planted in 1962): Medium red. Aromas of plum, herbs and licorice. Plush, sweet, smooth wine with noteworthy herbal energy and lift to the flavors of cherry, redcurrant, plum, licorice and olive tapenade. Conveys a creamy old-vines depth of flavor but limited early sweetness. This very broad, dry wine finishes with suave tannins and excellent rising length. The old Cabernet vines here suffers from leaf roll virus, typically producing high-pH fruit with relatively low alcohol (13% in 2014).
STEPHEN TANZER | JUL 2017 | VINOUS.COM
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94
2013 Harrison Hill
The elegant 2013 Harrison Hill is reminiscent of lighter weight Chateau Margaux with its beautiful aromatics of tobacco leaf, sandalwood, lead pencil and black cherries. These give way to a medium to full-bodied, supple, seamlessly textured 2013 that has sweet tannin, no hard edges, and beautiful purity and focus in the finish. It’s already approachable, but will evolve gracefully on its balance and overall harmony.
JEB DUNNUCK | JUN 2016 | 225, THE WINE ADVOCATE
92+
2013 Harrison Hill
Medium-deep red. Sexy, claret-like herbal complexity to the perfumed aromas of redcurrant, strawberry, lavender, rose petal, tobacco and licorice. Fat, suave and subtly sweet, with wonderfully fine-grained blue and red fruit and savory mineral flavors complicated by truffle and hints of dried flowers and light pyrazines. In a rather Old World style, and long on personality. Finishes ripe and persistent, with dusty, firm-edged tannins. Very distinctive and very smooth.
Stephen Tanzer | Jul 2016 | Vinous.com
91
2013 Harrison Hill
This wine is a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon (65%), Merlot (25%), Cabernet Franc (8%) and Petit Verdot. Fragrant aromas of fresh herbs, flowers, pencil lead and black currant are followed by sweet, supple, concentrated red and black-fruit flavors backed by well-integrated tannins. Especially considering the warmth of the vintage, it shows a lot of finesse along with a long finish.
SEAN P. SULLIVAN | SEP 2016 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
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95
2012 Harrison Hill
A gorgeous wine with its spicy, tobacco leaf, potpourri, kirsch and currant scented bouquet, the 2012 Harrison Hill is full-bodied, supple and downright sexy on the palate. With light tannin, impeccable balance, and a great finish, this upfront, perfumed, and elegant beauty can be drunk anytime over the coming two decades.
JEB DUNNUCK | Jan 2018 | jebdunnuck.com
93
2012 Harrison Hill
Coming from some of the oldest vines in the state, this blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot is all about elegance of expression and nuance. Lighter in color, it offers aromas of raspberry, cherry, herb and graphite that lead to focused coffee, cranberry and earth flavors. The restraint and balance are pitch perfect. It will be best 2019–2026.
SEAN P. SULLIVAN | SEP 2015 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
92+
2012 Harrison Hill
(these vines range in age from 22 to 53 years): Dark red-ruby. More medicinal and claret-like on the nose than the Four Flags, offering distinctly cooler aromas of redcurrant, licorice, herbs, tobacco leaf, dusty cocoa powder and clove. Saline, tactile and suave in the mouth; the “greenest” of these Cabernet-based bottlings but in a classy Médoc way. Still very tightly wound owing to strong acidity and firm, youthfully drying tannins. This subtle, long, “old-style” wine should age for a long time.
STEPHEN TANZER | JUL 2015 | VINOUS.COM
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94
2011 Harrison Hill
Showing awesome complexity (which is one of the hallmarks of this cuvee), the 2011 Harrison Hill is made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% Petit Verdot. Loaded with notions of cherry blossoms, black currants, mineral, tobacco leaf and chocolate, this full-bodied, seamless and supple effort has a classy, elegant profile that should allow it to evolve gracefully for two decades or more. It’s a beautiful 2011 that should not be missed.
JEB DUNNUCK | JUN 2014 | 213, THE WINE ADVOCATE
94
2011 Harrison Hill
(65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 8% Cabernet Franc and 2% petit verdot): Good dark red. Aromas of cassis, white pepper and peat complicated by sexy wood spices. Wonderfully silky and sweet, offering a suave fine-grained texture to the inviting flavors of pomegranate, minerals and leather. A highly concentrated and elegant wine, with nothing out of place. The Cabernet Sauvignon in the blend is from 50-year-old vines, according to Chris Upchurch. Finishes sweet and very long. Superb, and balanced from day one.
STEPHEN TANZER | DEC 2014 | VINOUS.COM
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95
2010 Harrison Hill
More complex, deep and mineral-driven, the awesome 2010 Harrison Hill (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot) comes from the tiny Snipes Mountain AVA and the second oldest planting of vines in the state. Loaded with notions of smoked herbs, crushed stone, tobacco, bay leaf, black currant and hints of saddle leather, it flows seamlessly onto the palate with full-bodied richness, brilliant extract and serious persistence on the finish. Despite have knockout richness, it’s also silky, weightless and elegant, with juicy acidity lifting up the finish. Give bottles 3-4 years and enjoy over the following 15 years or more. Drink 2016-2028+.
Jeb Dunnuck | Jun 2013 | 207, The Wine Advocate
92
2010 Harrison Hill
(65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot): Cassis, blackberry and a nutty nuance on the nose. Fat, lush and sweet; showing a much more open-knit texture today than the Lot 1 cabernet. Seamless and long, with tannins thoroughly buffered by dark fruit.
Stephen Tanzer | Nov 2013 | Vinous.com
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96
2009 Harrison Hill
From a basaltic outcropping dominated by a small 1962 planting of Cabernet (the state’s second oldest vines and oldest Cabernet) and officially included as an appendage to the as-is relatively tiny Snipes Mountain AVA, the DeLille 2009 Harrison Hill – latest in a 15 vintage line – incorporates 26% Merlot, 13% Cabernet Franc, and 1% Petit Verdot. Talk about the brightness and lift that seem, in the best instances, singularly possible with black Bordelais grapes grown in Washington, here’s the best instance I’ve met – and from the 2009 vintage no less! Violet, rose, lily and heliotrope perfume and high-toned herbal essences waft from the glass and persist billowingly inner-mouth, accompanied by palate-staining, juicy, fresh cherry and cassis, the whole underlain by sweet-smoky evocations of leather, black tea, peat, tobacco and steel shavings. The umami level here is so high you won’t be able to stop salivating between sips, and the finish is a veritable magic carpet ride. Yeah, yeah, I know: ‘old vines, big mystique fool critic into inflating rating.’ May you be lucky enough to taste this for yourself, o ye of little faith! I’m dreaming of an opportunity to experience a vertical of this bottling, but meantime, as this is my first encounter, all I can go on is intuition when I suggest that it will be worth following for at least the better part of two decades.
DAVID SCHILDKNECHT | DEC 2012 | 204, THE WINE ADVOCATE
94
2009 Harrison Hill
Marvelous scents of violet and crushed rock set this wine apart from the rest of the DeLille releases. Intensely fruity, with flavors of ripe cherry and cherry pit, it layers toasted coconut and barrel spice notes on the powerful finish.
PAUL GREGUTT | DEC 2012 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
92+
2009 Harrison Hill
(60% cabernet sauvignon, 26% merlot, 13% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot): Good bright ruby-red. Perfumed aromas of blackberry, mace and nutmeg. Sharply delineated and penetrating, with superb grip to its dark berry and licorice flavors. Extremely backward for 2009, with its flesh currently suppressed by a firm tannic spine. Finishes tight and long, with a note of bitter chocolate. I’d lay this down for at least five years.
STEPHEN TANZER | NOV 2012 | VINOUS.COM
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92
2008 Harrison Hill
The 2008 Harrison Hill is an elegant, full-bodied and forward effort that has pretty notes of black currants, black cherries, toasted spices and hints of lead pencil. Nicely balanced and still lively, it’s one of the more forward, open knit releases, yet it will still evolve nicely for another decade.
Jeb Dunnuck | Sep 2016 | Interim End of September 2016, The Wine Advocate
92
2008 Harrison Hill
Tart and juicy, with wild raspberry fruit streaked with dried herb and just hinting at black cherry. This is a subtle yet powerful wine, with whiffs of smoke, licorice and coffee, but far less noticeable barrel influence than its companion reds. Focused and pure, with the structure to age.
PAUL GREGUTT | FEB 2012 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
92
2008 Harrison Hill
(a Bordeaux blend based on 65% cabernet sauvignon): Good full red. Black cherry, dark berries and cocoa powder on the nose, elevated by a floral topnote. Sappy, silky and ripe but classically dry, with lovely texture and inner-mouth lift to its boysenberry and coffee flavors. Finishes very suave and fine-grained, with sweet tannins, a lively suggestion of pepper and excellent persistence. A very successful wine from a cooler year.
STEPHEN TANZER | NOV 2011 | VINOUS.COM
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96
2007 Harrison Hill
A sensational wine that comes close to the profound 1999 is the 2007 Harrison Hill, which is a classic blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and a splash of Petit Verdot, raised all in new oak. About as supple, sexy, gorgeously layered and expansive as they come, this beauty hits the palate with full-bodied depth and richness, yet never seems heavy, cumbersome or over the top in any way. Loaded with notions of leafy herbs, black currants, ripe black cherries, saddle leather and spice, this impeccably balanced beauty is already hard to resist, yet will evolve on its balance and overall harmony for another 10-15 years.
Jeb Dunnuck | Sep 2016 | Interim End of September 2016, The Wine Advocate
91+
2007 Harrison Hill
(65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot) Medium red. Cool, vinous aromas of black raspberry, flower and minerals. Tightly wound and quite pure in the mouth, with a restrained sweetness and a continuing mineral quality. The mid-palate needs time in the cellar to gain in pliancy but this wine’s finish is broad and sweet, with lush tannins. Most of these vines were planted in 1962. (I should note that another bottle of this wine was sweeter and lusher in the middle palate; I would have scored it 92.)
STEPHEN TANZER | NOV 2010 | VINOUS.COM
90
2007 Harrison Hill
From a single vineyard on Snipes Mountain, this is a forceful, dark and liquorous version of Harrison Hill, which often carries more herbal accents. Here it’s fruity and floral, with scents of rose petals and concentrated raspberry and cassis. Still young and showing its alcohol, it needs some hours of decanting.
PAUL GREGUTT | Aug 2010 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
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93
2006 Harrison Hill
From another hot year, the 2006 Harrison Hill has surprising elegance and purity, as well as full-bodied richness, ample concentration, a layered texture and a great finish. Giving up lots of toasted spice, chocolate, black cherries, roasted herbs and a distinct minerality, it’s drinking beautifully today and can be enjoyed anytime over the coming decade.
Jeb Dunnuck | Sep 2016 | Interim End of September 2016, The Wine Advocate
93
2006 Harrison Hill
(the cabernet component here, which makes up about two-thirds of the wine, dates back to 1962) Good deep red-ruby. Currant, mocha and cedar on the expressive nose. Sweet, lush and wonderfully fine-grained, with cooler, sharply delineated flavors of black cherry, blackberry, cedar, wild herbs and leather: very cabernet. Sexy lavender and basil notes add nuance on the very broad back end, where the tannins are perfectly integrated with the wine’s fruit. This was aged in 100% new Taransaud barriques.
Stephen Tanzer | Nov 2009 | Vinous.com
93
2006 Harrison Hill
The Harrison Hill vineyard has some of Washington’s oldest Cabernet vines, and offers a distinctive flavor profile within the Yakima Valley. Scents of violets and rose petals float above dark, wild berry fruit. It’s not sweet, yet is perfectly ripe, with polished tannins. As usual, this wine requires both cellaring and decanting to reveal itself fully.
Paul Gregutt | NOV 2009 | Wine Enthusiast
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95
2005 Harrison Hill
Called a classic year by Chris Upchurch, the 2005 Harrison Hill is one of the more structured, full-bodied and rich wines in the lineup. It offers lots of smoked earth, graphite, black cherry and currant aromas and flavors, full-bodied richness and just a hint of the classic sandalwood and leafy herbs that are the hallmark of this cuvee. It fills the mouth with fruit and has enough tannin to evolve positively for 3-4 years and keep through 2030.
JEB DUNNUCK | SEP 2016 | INTERIM END OF SEPTEMBER 2016, THE WINE ADVOCATE
92+
2005 Harrison Hill
(a Bordeaux blend based on 65% cabernet sauvignon) Medium red. Complex nose offers strawberry, tobacco, lavender and subtle herbal nuances. Lush, sweet and spicy, combining noteworthy breadth and good juicy definition. Finishes with sweet tannins and solid backbone for aging. This has an old-viney quality from a cabernet component dating back to 1962.
STEPHEN TANZER | NOV 2008 | VINOUS.COM
91
2005 Harrison Hill
The Harrison Hill vineyard has some of Washington’s oldest Cabernet vines. Here the blend of 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot offers a distinctive flavor profile, clean, sharp and herbal, with an interesting, earthy note. Flavors mingle beautifully, and carry through from the tart, tight-knit red fruit into the polished and lightly slatey tannins and a chewy, lightly peppery finish.
PAUL GREGUTT | NOV 2008 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
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96
2004 Harrison Hill
From a hot year in Washington State, the 2004 Harrison Hill (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot) is still lively and fresh, with awesome notes of cassis, black cherries, lead pencil shavings and licorice. About as fine and silky on the palate as they come, this full-bodied, ripe, yet elegant 2004 is just now at the early stages of maturity.
JEB DUNNUCK | SEP 2016 | INTERIM END OF SEPTEMBER 2016, THE WINE ADVOCATE
92
2004 Harrison Hill
Sour cherry, rock and an almost delicate earthy quality define the entry. In the mouth it has a pleasing granularity, warmed by soft, sweet fruit, and it sits on its mid-palate flavors for a long, long time. Then, slowly, it fades into a tart, somewhat high-toned finish; hinting at wild berry, spicy plum and even a bit of tobacco.
PAUL GREGUTT | mar 2007 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
91
2004 Harrison Hill
(a blend of 65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 9% cabernet franc and 1% petit verdot; these vines were planted in 1962, making this the second oldest vineyard in Washington State after Otis, according to Chris Upchurch) Good bright dark red. Claret-like aromas of redcurrant, plum and nutty oak. Juicy, minerally and fine-grained, with lovely inner-mouth perfume and precision. A very stylish, suave wine, finishing with very smooth tannins and lingering notes of cocoa powder and graphite. Classy juice.
STEPHEN TANZER | NOV 2007 | VINOUS.COM
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95
2003 Harrison Hill
Another baking hot year, the 2003 Harrison Hill is surprisingly elegant and finesse-driven and doesn’t show any of the hallmark traits of a hot year. Made from 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 9% Cabernet Franc and a splash of Petit Verdot, this medium to full-bodied, polished and impeccably balanced effort has classic Bordeaux-like characteristics of black currants, licorice, tons of peppery spice and graphite. Drink it over the coming decade.
JEB DUNNUCK | SEP 2016 | INTERIM END OF SEPTEMBER 2016, THE WINE ADVOCATE
93
2003 Harrison Hill
Apart from Columbia’s Otis Cab, this is Yakima’s (and Washington’s) oldest Cabernet vineyard. Newer plantings of Merlot and Cab Franc enhance the blend. The wine is marked by its finesse and exceptional grace. Silky and sensuous, it’s a wine that warrants the old-fashioned term “breed”—suggesting manapricot-scented lemon and lime flavors are tinged with peaches, wildflowers and nered elegance. Cherry, bramble berry, plummy fruit and exotic spices light up the finish.
PAUL GREGUTT | AUG 2006 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
91
2003 Harrison Hill
(a Bordeaux blend that comes almost entirely from a single Yakima Valley vineyard that assistant winemaker Chris Peterson says is the second oldest in the state after Otis Vineyard) Aromas of redcurrant, mulberry, cherry, cured tobacco, herbs and underbrush. Round on entry, then ripe, nuanced and quite dry in the middle, with a restraint to the red fruit and mineral flavors. This is a bit dominated today by its firm spine, and yet there’s no hardness here. The pH of this wine (3.75 in ’03) is always lower than that of the Chaleur Estate bottling, notes Peterson.
STEPHEN TANZER | NOV 2006 | VINOUS.COM
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94
2002 Harrison Hill
Incorporating a touch more Cabernet Franc and made from 64% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot, 10% Cabernet Franc and 1% Petit Verdot (the Petit Verdot always comes from the Ciel du Cheval vineyard on Red Mountain), the 2002 Harrison Hill is one of the richer, more full-throttle and ripe vintages for this cuvee out there. Loaded with notions of black currants, crushed rocks, toasted spice and licorice, it hits the palate with full-bodied rich, lots of fruit and a slightly evolved, ready to go style. There’s tons of richness here, yet its open knit feel makes me suspect it’s best consumed over the coming 4-6 years to be on the safe side.
JEB DUNNUCK | SEP 2016 | INTERIM END OF SEPTEMBER 2016, THE WINE ADVOCATE
90
2002 Harrison Hill
(65% cabernet sauvignon, 25% merlot, 9% cab franc and 1% petit verdot) Good deep red. Redcurrant, tobacco and nutty oak on the nose; showing more wood today than the Estate Red. Then fat, plush and round, with good creamy depth of plum, redcurrant and tobacco flavors. Finishes with a suggestion of leather. Offers a slightly smaller tannic structure than the Estate Red but shows surprising acidity. This is the most enjoyable set of red wine releases from DeLille Cellars in many years, with sweeter fruit and more yielding texture than most wines from recent vintages here.
STEPHEN TANZER | NOV 2005 | VINOUS.COM
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93
2001 Harrison Hill
The 2001 Harrison Hill Dixieme Anniversaire bursts from the glass exhibiting candied blueberry scents. Its refined character harmoniously coats the taster’s palate with jammy, candied blackberries, cassis, and black cherries. Medium-bodied, it has awesome mouth-feel, purity, and length. Anticipated maturity: now-2016.
Pierre Rovani | Aug 2004 | 154, The Wine Advocate
91
2001 Harrison Hill
This single-vineyard wine from DeLille is a rare evocation of old- vine, classic Washington fruit. Perfectly ripe, plummy fruit is backed with layers of iron and earth; the fruit has mixed elements of herb and tart red fruits. This is special.
PAUL GREGUTT | Sep 2004 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
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92
2000 Harrison Hill
The 2000 Harrison Hill (65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cabernet Franc) is less concentrated, rich and dense than the 1999, and it possesses a vibrant ruby color as well as classy notes of lead pencil, tobacco leaf, cassis and spice box. Medium to full-bodied, exceedingly elegant and silky, with beautifully integrated acidity and tannin, it’s drinking at point, yet should hold through 2024.
JEB DUNNUCK | SEP 2016 | INTERIM END OF SEPTEMBER 2016, THE WINE ADVOCATE
90
2000 Harrison Hill
Smoky, earthy flavors predominate in this lean wine, offering ripe cherry, licorice and black pepper flavors that linger, framed with fine-grained tannins. Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot and Cabernet Franc. Best from 2005 through 2012. 750 cases made.
HARVEY STEIMAN | SEP 2003 | WINE SPECTATOR
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97
1999 Harrison Hill
I was able to taste through two bottles of the 1999 Harrison Hill, and both were utterly profound. Reminding me of a great vintage of Chateau Margaux with its layers of sandalwood, tobacco leaf, crème de cassis, cedar and spice, this beauty is full-bodied, concentrated and rich on the palate, with tons of texture, awesome purity and a great finish. A classic, even and moderate year that had perfect weather through harvest (yields were tiny in 1999 due to poor weather at springtime), this beauty is drinking perfectly today, but it has another 10-15 years of longevity.
JEB DUNNUCK | SEP 2016 | INTERIM END OF SEPTEMBER 2016, THE WINE ADVOCATE
90
1999 Harrison Hill
Earthy, smoky and slightly gamy notes weave through this dark red, surrounding but not overpowering the ripe currant and berry fruit at the core. Needs time to settle down, but has years ahead of it. Best after 2003. 750 cases made.
HARVEY STEIMAN | Jul 2002 | WINE SPECTATOR
90
1999 Harrison Hill
This single vineyard blend includes 65% Cabernet Sauvignon, 25% Merlot and 10% Cab Franc. It is a distinctive wine, salty, linear and slightly metallic in its terroir. The vineyard’s cool site, gives the wine lovely extra dimensions, though this is not a style one would describe as fat. Still a bit unresolved at this point in time, it’s a more subtle, soil-driven effort than big brother Chaleur Estate.
PAUL GREGUTT | Jun 2002 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
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90
1998 Harrison Hill
The dark-colored 1998 Harrison Hill Vineyard was produced from vines planted in 1962. Black cherries, blackberries, and spices can be discerned in its aromatic profile. This plump, seamless, refined, light to medium-bodied, pure 1998 is filled with red and black fruit flavors. There are no hard edges. It is not a powerful wine, but one that delivers oodles of pleasure through its symmetry and detail. Drink it over the next decade.
PIERRE ROVANI | Oct 2001 | 137, The Wine Advocate
90
1998 Harrison Hill
Harrison Hill includes a small amount of the second oldest Cabernet Sauvignon plantings in Washington state, which form the backbone of this blended red wine. Merlot (25%) and Cabernet Franc (11%) from the same vineyard complete the mix. Soft, plummy scents, reminiscent of old vine Zinfandel, rise from the glass. Harrison Hill is a cool site, and the grapes are often not harvested until November. The gentle flavors of plums, pie cherries, rose petals and anise reflect the extra hang time. Elegant, light and seductive.
PAUL GREGUTT | JUN 2001 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
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92
1997 Harrison Hill
What is Harrison Hill, and why does it cost so much? One of the oldest (planted in ’62) vineyards in Washington, it includes Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc and Merlot vines, all of which are used in this blend. Along with the cassis, black cherry and sweet chocolate/bitter coffee flavors one might expect from a high-end Washington red, there is an indefinable taste of terroir-flower, stone, earth, stable – that elevates the wine to the next level.
PAUL GREGUTT | JUN 2000 | WINE ENTHUSIAST
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90
1995 Harrison Hill
The medium-to-dark-colored 1995 Harrison Hill Vineyard reveals tobacco, cassis, black cherry, and smoky oak aromas. So typical of these wines, each element is in place, creating an elegant and harmonious tasting experience. Loads of sweet black cherries, violets, roses, and cinnamon can be found in its medium-to-full-bodied flavor profile. This well-defined yet plump wine should be at its apogee between 2000 and 2005.
PIERRE ROVANI | Oct 1998 | 119, The Wine Advocate
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92
1994 Harrison Hill
Breathtakingly pure berry and currant flavors pierce through a layer of a chewy tannins and bright acidity, promising great things by 2000 or 2002–if you can keep hands off until then. 100 percent Cabernet Sauvignon. 330 cases made.