DeLille Cellars, Chaleur Blanc 2016, Columbia Valley, Washington

Tasting Note: A delightful sauvignon-blanc-and-semillon blend with complexity.

Medium-intensity lemon in color, this wine has an aromatic, medium-plus-intensity nose of nectarine, golden apple, lemon curd, Asian pear, honeydew melon, blossom and tangerine.

On the palate the dry, medium-plus-bodied white blend has medium-intensity flavors suggested on the nose supported by medium acidity and completing with a medium-plus finish.

The semillon in the blend shines and adds depth that could continue to develop with time in the bottle.

More white blends like this please.

Bottle Note: The world has plenty of chardonnay. We choose to honor our legendary French tradition of white wine with our Chaleur Blanc. This is a white blend of sauvignon blanc (68%) and Semillon (32%) 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 in 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, Executive Winemaker. Jason Gorski, Winemaker.