DeLille Chaleur Blanc 2024

The 2024 vintage of Chaleur Blanc is a shining example of the balance this vintage has to offer. Initial bursts of green kiwi and ripe peaches leap from the glass, followed by a floral bouquet of gardenia and honeysuckle. The prominent aromas continue onto the palate, layered with sweet oak spice and a generous, creamy body imparted by sur lees aging. The refreshing acidity and throughline of minerality unite this effort. The result is a complex and energetic wine that is remarkably approachable.

84% barrel aged (French Oak, 37% New, 25% Second fill, 22% Neutral, 16% Stainless Steel), Weekly Battonage, six months in barrel. Bottle aged 3+ months prior to release.

Robert Parker has called DeLille Cellars the “Lafite Rothschild of Washington State.” It is no coincidence that this boutique winery is often compared with First-Growth Bordeaux Chateaux. DeLille Cellars is dedicated to handcrafting elegant wines in the Bordeaux style, using only the very finest hand sorted grape clusters to make their wine. These sophisticated wines are made to uncompromising standards of quality. All of the wines are aged in new French oak and are bottled unfiltered. Winemaker Chris Upchurch talks in terms of ‘complete wine’, with qualities like opulence, mouthfeel, balance and elegance. Chris’ goal is simple: to blend the very best hand-crafted, Bordeaux style red and white wines made in the state of Washington. As a testament to his success, DeLille set the record for the highest price paid for a bottle of Washington State wine at auction ($16,000 in 1997).