DeLille Cellars, Chaleur Blanc 2015, Columbia Valley, Washington

Tasting Note: A Sauvignon Blanc-Semillon white blend that evokes the structure of a fine white Bordeaux, but from Washington state.

Medium-intensity lemon in color this wine has an aromatic nose of green pear, quince, gardenia, white peach and lemon zest.

On the palate, the dry full-bodied white blend is medium-plus in acidity with a mix of flavors both in the foreground and the background.

The wine has an oily yet rich texture, flavor concentration and mid-palate complexity with some subtle vanilla baking spice.

If you’d told me this wine was from Bordeaux, I wouldn’t have questioned you.

For the price point, this wine punches well above its weight.

Score!

Bottle Note: The world has plenty of chardonnay. We choose to honor the other legendary French tradition of white wine with our Chaleur Blanc. This is a classic white blend of sauvignon blanc (73%) and semillon (27%) created in the tradition of the great white wine of Bordeaux and hand harvested from some of the oldest and most respected vineyards in Washington state. Chaleur Blanc begins with careful hand sorting at crush, followed by gentle whole-cluster pressing to release free-run juice. After chilling in stainless steel tanks to separate out the solids, we are able to achieve a clean and crisp profile. Lastly, the majority of our clarified juice is fermented sur lie French oak barrels. Experience a wine of elegance with rich deep layers of spice and fruit. Founded in 1992, DeLille Cellars continues to produce a collection of handcrafted wines authentic to the region. Christopher C. Upchurch, winemaker.