2015 De Lille Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Ciel

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Ciel unwinds in the glass with a deep and brooding bouquet of ripe black cherries, plum preserve, candied peel and dark chocolate that represents an aromatic change of pace after the Bordeaux blends that preceded it. On the palate, it's full-bodied, massive and powerful, with a rich tannic chassis, concentrated fruit and juicy acids. Right now, however, the structure dominates to the extent that not much more than the wine's impressive outlines are discernible; and indeed, the sheer quantity of firm seed tannin does make me wonder about the wine's ultimate balance. I'm sure it will mellow with time, and I'd recommend cellaring for at least 5 or 6 years, but is such a tight structural corset really necessary?

The 2015 Cabernet Sauvignon Grand Ciel Vineyard is a brilliant wine that has both power and elegance. Crème de cassis, black cherries, scorched earth, cedar pencil shavings, and a beautiful floral (violets?) character all flow to a seamless, medium to full-bodied Cabernet that has fine tannin, impeccable balance, and a great finish. It shows the warmth yet also the classic style of this great vintage for Washington State. It will ideally be given 2-4 years of bottle age and is capable of lasting for two decades. Owner/Winemaker Chris Upchurch compared the 2015s from Washington State to the 2009s from Bordeaux, and given the sweltering heat in 2015, I understand the comparison. However, the 2015s come across as more focused and classic in style, in part, I suspect to the vines shutting down throughout the summer and I think the true phenolics actually lag the 2012s, 2014s, and 2016s. These wines are concentrated, have notable purity, and building tannin. They’re going to benefit from short-term cellaring. As usual, I tasted the barrel samples during my visit at the estate and the bottled wines at my office in Colorado.