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Several vintages of these Washington wines have received perfect 100-point scores from Robert Parker, a rare feat when you consider that nearly all of Parker’s 100-point wines from the US hail from California. But Parker isn’t the only critic to bestow this score on the Quilceda Creek cabernets. Wine critics from Wine Advocate, Decanter, and International Wine Reports have given a total of seventeen 100-point scores to the brand’s wines.
Curious to know what we thought of the 2016 vintage and what makes the Quilceda Creek wines so special. Read on…
Few winemakers can claim they come from legendary wine families, but the family tree of Alex Golitzin, founder of Quilceda Creek Winery, includes some pretty heavy hitters. Prince Lev Sergeyevich, who was one of Russia’s most successful winemakers, and the man responsible for bringing sparkling wine production to Russia, is a distant cousin. And the influential André Tchelistcheff was Alex’s uncle.
It was André Tchelistcheff who mentored and advised the who’s who of California wine in the 1960s and 1970s when Napa Valley’s intrepid winemakers sought to legitimize the standing of their wines on the world stage. Alex was close with his uncle, and it was André who encouraged him to leave his full-time job as an engineer and pursue winemaking. The two discussed several vineyard locations, but Washington was where André thought Alex could grow exceptional cabernet sauvignon – and make world-class wine. The climate, he said to his nephew, is perfect for cabernet grapes.
In 1978, Alex and his wife Jeanette established Quilceda Creek Winery, which was then the 12th bonded winery in the state post-Prohibition.
After 14 years of leading the winery, in 1992, Alex passed the reins to his son, Paul. Given the names in the Golitzin family tree, winemaker Paul Golitzin had big shoes to fill. If this 2016 Palengat Vineyard Cabernet is any indication, he walks in those shoes like he was born to wear them.
Grapes for this blend are sourced from the Champoux, Palengat, Lake Wallula, and Wallula Gap vineyards, all in the Horse Heaven Hills AVA.
The vines in Horse Heaven Hills benefit from the constant winds the area experiences. These persistent gusts reduce grape canopies, which allows for increased airflow among the grapes, toughens their skins, and helps to keep the clusters free of mold and fungus.
Climatically, this part of Washington, where over a quarter of the state’s wine grapes are grown, is ideal for vineyard cultivation. The arid weather and long sunny days are perfect for Bordeaux varieties like Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, each of which is featured in the 2016 Palengat Cabernet Sauvignon.
The Palengat Vineyard is one of several owned by the Golitzin family within the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, but this one is just a little extra special. Named for Paul’s mother, Jeanette, whose maiden name is Palengat, this south-facing vineyard sits adjacent to the highly-regarded Champoux Vineyard. Both vineyards are uniquely situated on Phinney Hill at a rolling elevation of 600-800 feet.
While the Horse Hills AVA is considered arid or semi-arid, the placement of the vines at this lower elevation means they experience a significant diurnal shift. As nighttime temperatures drop, cooler temperatures swing down from the hills and moderate the hot, dry climate. This combination of factors does wonders in preserving the grapes’ natural acidity and helps create wines that are complex and full-bodied.
USA> Washington
Columbia Valley> Horse Heaven Hill
83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11 % Merlot, and 6 % Cabernet Franc
14.8%
62–68°F / 16–20°C
Large Bordeaux
30 to 60 Minutes
Now to 2032
This 2016 Quilceda Creek Cabernet is the stuff of dreams. Winemaker Paul Golitzin calls it the best Bordeaux-inspired blend the winery has ever produced. At 83% Cabernet Sauvignon, 11% Merlot, and 6% Cabernet Franc, the wine is full-bodied and rich, with neat tannins and a clean minerality that seems to wrap the whole thing in a bow.
Aromas of black cherry and black currant mingle with graphite, licorice, tobacco, tanned leather, and the familiar savory essence of bell pepper. Dark fruit is plentiful on the palate, with blackberry, black cherry, and black currant leading the way. Tobacco leaf and soft, toasted oak, from the 20 months the wine spent in new French oak, lead to a dry, satisfying finish.
The waiting list for Quilceda Creek wines is over a year long. After experiencing the breadth of this bottle, it’s easy to see why. If you haven’t yet experienced an award-winning Washington wine, this is a good place to start.
