Press Release

SNOHOMISH, WASH., April 16, 2007 – Quilceda Creek, known for producing world class Cabernet Sauvignon, has expanded its estate vineyard holdings with the purchase of a five acre site adjacent to Washington State's acclaimed Champoux Vineyard in the Horse Heaven Hills, Quilceda Creek owner and winemaker Paul Golitzin announced today. The winery has also signed a long-term lease for 3.5 additional acres next to the newly acquired property.

Quilceda Creek has named the new vineyard Palengat in honor of Jeanette Golitzin, who co-founded Quilceda Creek with her husband Alex in 1978. Palengat is Jeanette's maiden name.

Both the newly purchased site and leased vineyard will be managed by Paul Champoux. He is co-owner of Champoux Vineyard along with Quilceda Creek and three other Washington State vintners.

The new five-acre site, on a south-facing slope above the Columbia River, is a high density vineyard growing all five red Bordeaux varieties. Previously known as Matador Ranch, it was planted by John Derrick and his family in 2000. He sold the property to Quilceda Creek earlier this year and signed a long-term lease for 3.5 additional acres that were planted in 1999.

Golitzin, who has shared winemaking duties with his father Alex since joining the winery full-time in 1992, says Quilceda Creek has gradually refocused its grape sourcing over the last several vintages to include more fruit from Horse Heaven Hills. The winery acquired partial ownership of Champoux Vineyard in 1997.

While the sale of Palengat Vineyard wasn't complete until earlier this year, Quilceda Creek directed vineyard management last season and purchased all the grapes grown on site in 2006. "These grapes have all the elegance and powerful, pure fruit we have come to expect from the Horse Heaven Hills," says (Paul) Golitzin, "Palengat is wonderfully aromatic, with polished, sophisticated tannins. It adds an exciting dimension to our wine program," he says.

With the goal of improving wine quality vintage after vintage, Quilceda Creek has increasingly turned its attention to the vineyards in recent years, relying more on estate-grown grapes. In 2001, Quilceda Creek began planting Galitzine Vineyard adjacent to Ciel du Cheval on Red Mountain and will release its first vineyard-designated wine from there, a 2004 Cabernet Sauvignon, later this fall.

Palengat Vineyard was purchased by Paul, his wife Lori, sister Lisa Ware, and brother-in-law John Ware, the winery's General Manager. The purchase price of the vineyard was not disclosed.