wineismylife
Arlington, TX
Master of Wine
Posts:12044
 | | 04/28/2003 3:28 AM |
| 2000 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon
14.9% alcohol by volume.
Young does not begin to describe the current state of this wine in its’ evolution. However, never having had a Quilceda Creek I decided to pop a cork on this recent acquisition direct from the winery.
Opened and decanted at 5:00PM. Took a quick taste at 45 minutes in Spiegelau Authentis Magnum glasses. This wine has a beautiful ruby to garnet color, which is clear as a bell. Nose of cherries, red licorice and a hint of vanilla from the oak barrels. The powerful tannins impart spiciness to the black cherries and licorice on the palette. There is just a hint of earthiness on the finish.
Only four hours later we have a completely different wine. The nose has added blueberries and chocolate at this point. Flavors of currants and mocha have been added as well. The wine is fully in balance, smooth as silk. Man o man. I don’t have the words. Even at this very young and bottle shocked stage I’d give this wine between 90 and 92 points. I can’t imagine how it will improve with just 6 months settling in my cellar. I wouldn’t touch your first bottle for at least a year just to gauge its’ age ability. I plan on drinking my five remaining bottles somewhere in the area of 2008 through 2013.
Here are the winemaker’s notes:
Winemakers: Paul Golitzin, Alex Golitzin, Marv Crum
Varietal: 97.5% Cabernet Sauvignon, 2.5% Cabernet Franc
Vineyards: Champoux, Ciel du Cheval, Klipsun, Taptiel
Barrels: 100% New French Oak
Time in Barrel: 22 Months
Bottled: August 2002
Case Production: 2925 Cases
Winemakers Comments
The 2000 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon is reminiscent of the ’98 Quilceda Creek on steroids. This wine is packed full of blackberry liquor, plums, and crème de cassis laden with anise smoke and spices, it has a fabulous syrupy texture, show-casing the amazing purity of cabernet fruit found in this wine. It is the most perfumed and well-balanced Quilceda Creek wine to date.
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Joe
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Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
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Brent Null
Roseville, CA
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2193
| | 04/28/2003 3:35 AM |
| YEE-HAW!!! Can't wait 'til I can open one of mine!!!
Thanks WIML!!! Great notes. | | | |
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wineismylife
Arlington, TX
Master of Wine
Posts:12044
| | 04/28/2003 3:40 AM |
| You're welcome, Brent. Now I just need to figure out how I am going to talk Mrs WIML into buying another 6 pack. | |
Joe
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Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10612
| | 04/28/2003 12:45 PM |
| | Your sacrifice is duly noted! Thanks for the notes. | | | |
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ttepper
Barrel Filler
Posts:1310
| | 04/28/2003 4:10 PM |
| | I find it strange that a winemaker would compare his/her wine to the poor 98's... | | | |
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Sacred Cow
Wine Thief
Posts:2764
| | 04/28/2003 4:14 PM |
| ttepper:
QC is Washington, their vintage was not problematical, as was the California 98 vintage.
Mike | | | |
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ttepper
Barrel Filler
Posts:1310
| | 04/28/2003 4:15 PM |
| | Ahh...woops...thanks | | | |
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stemor
Collierville, TN
Wine Thief
Posts:2813
| | 04/28/2003 6:04 PM |
| The '98 QC got 96 Parker Points. Every winemaker should have such problems!  | |
Cheers, y'all | |
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Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts:9146
| | 04/28/2003 6:16 PM |
| | It so happens that we tasted this wine last night, among an incredible lineup of wines at an event at Dr. Drab's home. I didn't take extensive notes, just brief impressions, and found this to be a beautiful wine that just got better as it opened up and flowered with time. Quite young and tannic, in need of some serious rest - I won't touch mine until 2007 or 2008. | | | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Fermenter
Posts:667
| | 04/28/2003 6:26 PM |
| | Thus another legitimate basis, argument if you will, for publishing Washington State Vintage charts (read: Wine Spectator get with it) '98 was a very good year for Washington state. | | | |
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skwid
Wine Connoisseur
Posts:5452
| | 04/28/2003 6:59 PM |
| | But isn't Washington just a suburb of California? It seems lots of folks from CA are moving up there. | | | |
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wineismylife
Arlington, TX
Master of Wine
Posts:12044
| | 04/28/2003 8:15 PM |
| | QOH, at least Parker publishes Washington separately on his vintage chart. | |
Joe
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Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
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wineismylife
Arlington, TX
Master of Wine
Posts:12044
| | 04/28/2003 8:20 PM |
| Eric, sounds like we had a similar experience with this wine. Those aromas and flavors just continued to develop throughout the evening until I sucked the last drop out of the bottom of that glass. I'm planning on starting in on my remaining bottles around 2008. | |
Joe
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Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
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Eric White
San Ramon, CA
Advanced Sommelier
Posts:9146
| | 04/28/2003 9:37 PM |
| Yep, we were definately drinking the same wine. My notes say open again in 5 years - why, that would be 2008!  | | | |
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ChangeMe
Grape Fermenter
Posts:667
| | 04/28/2003 10:26 PM |
| Yes, Parker does cover Washington in his vintage charts, as do a number of other sources. I am just baffled as to why WS does not. And this from a publication that continually bestows accolades to the region. Of course this is also the publishing company that recently featured a story on designer water; buried a great 5-page article on Washington wineries in Cigar Aficionado and called Greg Norman a "senior golfer." Their editorial practices are archaic, lazy and self-serving. As in serves the publisher, not the reader. Off topic, sorry.
Quilceda Creek rocks.  | | | |
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Dr_Tannin
Barrel Sampler
Posts:2498
| | 04/29/2003 2:13 AM |
| Mucho Gracias QOH-
I have no idea why, but QC is one of the few wines that we get here at prices that make common sense:
'98- $55.00
'99- $65.00
More than that, one case total is shipped in to our area; but, foolishly no one but the store clerk and I have bought any of them. Betcha same thing happens this year. | | | |
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Dave Mci
Hudson, OH
Grape Fermenter
Posts:696
| | 04/29/2003 10:12 AM |
| Doc:
We have the same situation here in PA, both from a pricing and availability perspective. With Anthony Iez, now stomping around the grounds, I am sure I will have some competition for the QC. | | | |
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wineismylife
Arlington, TX
Master of Wine
Posts:12044
| | 04/29/2003 1:17 PM |
| | You're lucky. Down here in Texas we have to "cloak and dagger" to get it from the winery. I've never seen a bottle in this State that I did not bring in personally. Winetex might have been lucky enough down in Houston. | |
Joe
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Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
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Winetex
Austin, Texas
Master of Wine
Posts:10612
| | 04/29/2003 1:59 PM |
| Nope WIML - no go on shipping from this winery. I bought two of the '99 from a local retailer at a very high price and traded for one that I transported.
Smaug (my hero) is handling the '00 purchase and picking them up from the winery. Eventually I'll get them down here in Texas, probably when it cools off in Nov to ship them. | | | |
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wineismylife
Arlington, TX
Master of Wine
Posts:12044
| | 04/29/2003 2:08 PM |
| | That is what I pretty much figured. I've asked every regular contact I have including direct contacts with distributors and I've never found a way to get it here short of somebody outside of normal channels helping. | |
Joe
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Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
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