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Winemakers:
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Alex Golitzin, Paul Golitzin, Marv Crum
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Varietal:
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97% Cabernet Sauvignon, 3 % Cabernet Franc
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Vineyards:
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Champoux, Klipsun and Tapteil
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Barrels:
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100% New French Oak
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Time in Barrel:
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22 Months
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Time in Bottle
before release:
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9 months
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Case Production:
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2,500
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The 1998 vintage was the sixth hottest in the 46 years that records have
been kept in eastern Washington. This resulted in ultra ripe fruit
with fully ripe soft tannins and full fruit expression. In spite of
excellent grapes we still declassified 30% of the vintage into a red
table wine in order to maximize the quality of our Cabernet.
1998 Cabernet Sauvignon
"Bright ruby color. Floral, minerally nose combines cassis, blackberry, bitter chocolate
and pungent oak. Thick, rich and very concentrated, with a flavor of
chocolate-covered plum. Lovely combination of lush texture and firm underlying
spine; lively acids give the fruit impressive purity. Finishes very long and
subtle, with suaver tannins than this winery's '97 cabernets. Offers
compelling sweetness without losing its freshness or balance."
Score: 91-93 Barrel Sample
Stephen Tanzer, International Wine Cellar
Blackberry jam, juniper berries, and spices can be found in the rich aromatics of the
stunning, dark-colored 1998 Cabernet Sauvignon. A wine of awesome breadth, width,
concentration, and power, this full-bodied beauty is crammed with lush layers of
blackberries, plums, and cassis. This offering's prodigious fruit envelopes its copious
silky tannin. Additionally, it displays an extraordinarily long finish. Drink it
between 2005 and 2016.
Score: 96
Pierre-Antoine Rovani, Robert M. Parker, Jr.’s Wine Advocate
Alex Golitzin has been making one of Washington's
most powerful and profound Cabernets since 1979, the
early days of modern Washington wine history. Until recently,
however, the cascades of flavor came with swarms of rough
tannins. This vintage marks a turning point. By fine-tuning
its vineyard sources and winemaking, Quilceda Creek has
managed to keep all the flavor and style while polishing the
tannins. This wine is dense, deep and powerful, a many-layered
red that piles on its rich currant, plum, black cherry and
peppery spice flavors, finishing with touches of cedar and
mint. A glorious, cellar-worthy Cabernet with plenty of
superrefined tannins. Best from 2004 through 2015.
Score: 94
Harvey Steiman, The Wine Spectator