In 1978, founders Alex and Jeannette Golitzin bonded Quilceda Creek in 1978 at the urging of Alex’s uncle, André Tchelistcheff, the emeritus “Dean” of California winemakers. Little did they know that this was the foundation of a global dynasty that would consistently earn the highest accolades in all of wine. Even their early vintages, which displayed irresistible dark fruit poured over a rigid, tannic scaffolding, and are still aging admirably today. But Quilceda Creek’s unequivocal success has not precluded a careful evolution in style. Gone are the knife-and-fork tannins from their early history. Instead, Alex and Jeannette’s son, Paul Golitzin, and his team are creating remarkable wines that still retain every bit of their original cellar appeal. 

 

Quilceda Creek’s modern facility is as functional as it is beautiful. The winery comprises two large open spaces where every single piece of equipment can be moved around by forklift. Expanded in 2011, the cellar incorporates state-of-the-art technology that initially raised some eyebrows. Rather than traditional pumping over to mix fermentations, Paul Golitzin and co-winemaker Alex Stewart opted for an air-pulse system in which strong bursts of air enter the tank from underneath the cap (the layer of grape skins floating at the top) in order to raise it slightly and allow the unrestricted movement of juice. This gentle method results in finer extraction of color, tannins, and flavor. In Layman’s terms: silkier, more luxurious Cabernet Sauvignon!

 

But of course, the premium source of the fruit also plays a significant role. The majority of today’s Cabernet Sauvignon comes from the world-famous Champoux Vineyard in Horse Heaven Hills AVA. First planted in 1972, this sprawling site is celebrated as one of Washington’s finest, with a semi-arid desert climate—typical of eastern Washington—and sandy loam soils. The other three vineyard sites blended into today’s flagship wine are Lake Wallula, Palengat (adjacent to Champoux), and Wallula. Sustainably farmed grapes are manually harvested and élevage is completed in 100% new French oak for 20 months, which adds further complexities to the lush core of fruit.

 

Quilceda Creek’s 2016 is a master class on extracting richness and finesse alike from the Cabernet Sauvignon grape. It displays an opaque dark ruby (nearly ink-black) core that refuses to let any light through. A few swirls will show you just how dense and concentrated this behemoth is, but don’t let the intoxicating nose and stygian color deceive you: Although the full-bodied palate is abound with supple, velvety layers, this pulsates with incredible energy and finesse. It explodes with crème de cassis, black raspberry liqueur, ripe black cherry, and black plums, followed by notes of pencil lead, cedar box, loose tobacco, violets, turned earth, cacao nibs, and myriad baking spices. Persistent, yet fine-grained tannins and wonderfully dark-fruited layers make sure that the luxurious mouthfeel never has any edges. This is a world-class Cabernet that ranks at the very top of critics’ lists year in and year out, so be sure and do it right when consuming. Decant for at least two hours in its youth and savor slowly in large Bordeaux stems. For all the collectors out there: This will keep over the next two decades while exponentially increasing in value too—either way, you can’t go wrong. Cheers!