Winetex   Austin, Texas
 Master of Wine
 Posts: 11025
 | | 03-17-2006 10:36 PM |
| More folks should try this one for discussion purposes. - 2003 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Washington (3/11/2006)
Dinner at the Wine Cask (The Wine Cask, Santa Barbara, CA): This bottle was popped and poured to take one for the team. It rivaled the 01 Sina Qua Non Midnight Oil that we had later for sheer structure and complexity and was extremely good. My only worry with this wine is a port-like quality to it (extraction) that I haven't noticed in other young QCs. There was not any detectable heat. The "port-like" quality be the one attribute that people are loving but I find it hard to extrapolate how it will age. Quite different from previous QC wines. (95 pts.) Posted from CellarTracker | | |
|
|
David Niederauer   Los Gatos, CA Master Sommelier
 Posts: 15756
 | | 03-20-2006 05:32 PM |
| When this stuff fell on my tougue I almost whinced. It is rather "large". I remember thinking that I wasn't going to have this with food (at least very soon) but I was also thinking that a six-ounce pour of it would probably last me all day.
The thing I really want to know though is... Where is my shipment? | | | |
|
MTPockets  
Barrel Racker
 Posts: 1834
 | | 03-23-2006 12:45 AM |
| I thought the 2002 was heading in the direction of how you describe the 2003 compared to previous vintages.
I will have to try one soon but like Davidn, where is my wine? | | | |
|
Eric White   San Ramon, CA
 Advanced Sommelier
 Posts: 9430
 | | 03-23-2006 03:44 AM |
| | On reflection, I would have to say that this was my red wine of the night. It had a pretty predominant carmel note to it, but it also had so much more going on, tons of character and complexity, astounding balance - talk about silky tannins! Everything is in place with this wine, and while I don't see it as a 100 pointer, it's up there in the high 90s. | | | 2008: the end of an error | |
|
David Niederauer   Los Gatos, CA Master Sommelier
 Posts: 15756
 | | 03-25-2006 05:19 AM |
| If someone had a dozen bottles of this what do you think the optimum drinking times would be?
I mean like, one now, then one in six months, then skip 18 months 'til the next.
I'm "confused" about drinking Cabs like this immediately on release. | | | |
|
Seek   Upstate NY Wine Thief
 Posts: 2772
 | | 03-27-2006 02:21 AM |
| | With Quilceda Creek I try one shortly after release and then put the rest of my bottles to sleep (As I do with many of the wines I buy in 7-13 bottle quantities). I have only consumed 1 bottle (of my own supply) of each vintage of Quilceda Creek from 1998. My plan is to start opening them at age 9-10 and then consume them at intervals based upon tasting until I feel they are heading over the hill. | | | |
|
pizinah  
Barrel Filler
 Posts: 1313
 | | 04-19-2006 08:34 PM |
| | FWIW 95 pts from WS "Insider" today. | | | |
|
GreenDrazi   Atlanta, GA
 Barrel Racker
 Posts: 1761
 | | 07-07-2006 05:38 PM |
| 2003 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon - Washington Decanted 6 ½ hr’s. Generous nose of concentrated currants with blueberry notes and a touch of graphite. Starts silky smooth and never lets up with a superb balance of smooth and seamless fine tannins set against rich and concentrated black currants flavors along with notes of blueberry, and some plum on the mid-palate and is nicely framed with a subtle graphite edge. This is very plush and yet, remains mineral driven throughout, with generous depth leading to the full, lengthy, and expansive finish that just goes on and on. A superb wine that can be enjoyed now with a very generous decant time and should evolve for many, many years to come. S98 7/3/2006 | | | |
|
Robert Prosperino   Brewster, NY Barrel Sampler
 Posts: 2483
 | | 07-24-2006 03:34 PM |
| - 2003 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Washington (7/24/2006)
I had this last night alongside of the 2002 QC. Decanted for 4+ hours. The 2003 was definitely better than the 2002, but it did not blow me away. Way more fruit than the 2002, very smooth, balanced, no heat, decent finish.
This was a very good wine, but did not meet my expectations for a Parker 100 point wine. (95 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker | | | |
|
Winetex   Austin, Texas
 Master of Wine
 Posts: 11025
 | | 09-21-2006 09:31 PM |
| - 2003 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Washington (9/21/2006)
Wine #8 / tasted blind: As Steffan notes this wine was too warm from the outset. An alcohol bomb on the nose until it was cooled down. Once I tasted it I realized that it was different from the other wines because of its extreme focus and clearly defined flavors. There was minerality, violets and blueberries and it changed rapidly in the glass. The most complex wine of the evening. I thought it might be Shafer HSS but the blueberry flavors didn't match up with HSS. Again this vintage is different from other QC wines and aging could be a tough call - probably one to open along the curve if you have a few. Drinking well now at the proper temperature. Not a 100 point wine for me and probably never will be but good none the less. (94 pts.)
Posted from CellarTracker | | | |
|
wineismylife   Arlington, TX
 Master of Wine
 Posts: 12424
 | | 06-20-2008 04:35 PM |
| 2003 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon - USA, Washington (6/19/2008) WIMLNR
Tasted June 19, 2008 at an offline.
Opened and served immediately. Needed an overnight decant or another decade in the bottle. Nose of currants, melted black licorice, brown sugar and white pepper. Big flavors on the palate with gobs of currants, plums and jammy berries. Came across as a little hot on the palate in my opinion. Medium acidity, firm tannins, full bodied. Hold and then some. No rating. | | | Joe-----Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
|
Drew   Sammamish, WA
 Wine Bottler
 Posts: 3230
 | | 06-21-2008 10:57 PM |
| No rating? I don't know if I'm going to like it or not unless somebody else rates it for me?
On a serious note, do you think this one has the stuffing to last 20 years? My NC boy HurrahSyrah scored one for me as a birth year wine for the oldest, hoping it's a long haul wine. | | | |
|
wineismylife   Arlington, TX
 Master of Wine
 Posts: 12424
 | | 06-22-2008 11:52 AM |
| | I'm just not sure Drew. I'm a little concerned about the alcohol and what that might do over the long haul. Either way it's not ready to drink in my opinion. I'm holding my bottles and will post an update when I open the first one in several years. | | | Joe-----Wine is like potato chips around me...if it's open, it's gone. | |
|
Drew   Sammamish, WA
 Wine Bottler
 Posts: 3230
 | | 06-24-2008 07:17 PM |
| | Thanks for the opinion, none the less. Always a crapshoot... | | | |
|
nwwineguy  
Grape Picker
 Posts: 15
 | | 07-17-2008 10:26 PM |
| | Has anyone tried their regular "Red Wine"? | | | www.winefoot.com | |
|
Vine   Milwaukee, WI
 Grape Puncher
 Posts: 810
 | | 07-18-2008 10:51 AM |
| I bought the 2003 Red wine and have probably consumed about 3-4 of them...nice enough wine but I think you can do better from WA in terms of QPR. Based on the hype, I may pick up some of my 2005 allocation when it arrives this summer (I'm all in on whatever quantity of Galitizine (sp?) is offered) .
As for my remaining bottles of 2003 I'm waiting to see what happens with them as the first few I opened were probably too young.
| | | |
|