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SHOP / 2002 Chaleur Estate

Varietal

63% Cabernet Sauvignon
26% Merlot
9% Cabernet Franc
2% Petit Verdot

Appellation

Red Mountain AVA

Aging

Age 5-20 Years

Vineyard

60% Ciel du Cheval
26% Klipsun
14% Boushey

2002 Chaleur Estate

Deep black color. The wine is youthful yet showing deep extracted aromas of Asian spice, black fruits, pencil snap and cassis. Layers of blueberries, plums and a meaty quality flow across the palate. Incredible concentration reveals a well integrated oak toast. Great classical structure and grip. A very fine vintage for Chaleur Estate.

$167

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94 Points

— Robert M. Parker Jr., The Wine Advocate

94 Points

“… This effort’s gorgeously complex and inviting aromatics display panoply of spices, including clove, cinnamon, and juniper berries, intertwined with sweet blueberries, jammy blackberries, cassis as well as toasty oak. Ample, medium to full-bodied deep, and exquisitely rich, it conquers the taster’s mouth with glorious breadth and power. The finest wine I’ve tasted from DeLille to date. It admirably combines winemaker Chris Upchurch’s signature elegance with the embracing, opulent fruit of the warm 2001 vintage…”

August 2004

Additional Scores:

91

Wine Spectator

90

Wine Enthusiast

91

Vinous

Pairing Suggestion

Seared Rack of Lamb with black garlic gastrique, herb gnocchi, beurre noisette and lamb jus — Other pairing recommendations include hearty mushroom-based dishes, earthy risottos and rich pastas.

Behind the Wine

2002 Chaleur Estate

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.

Vineyards

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.