2021 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Galitzine Vineyard
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Tasting notes
Lastly, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Galitzine Vineyard comes from a site on the lower slopes of Red Mountain and, as with the other top cuvées here, was aged in 100% new French oak. It has some classic Red Mountain savory herb, crushed stone, and graphite notes as well as a beautiful red and black-fruited core, full-bodied richness, ripe, building tannins, gorgeous overall balance, and a rare mix of power and elegance that's something to behold. It's mostly educational at this point and needs 4-5 years of bottle age, but it's going to age for at least two decades. While Quilceda Creek has had some substantial changes in their winemaking team over the past few years, with both Alex Steward and Hal Overson departing to work at Matthews, it certainly hasn’t affected the quality, and 2021 is going to go down as one of the all-time great vintages for this estate.
Critic scores
Average Score
Jeb Dunnuck
Anthony Mueller, Wine Advocate
More reviews and scores
The biggest and boldest of the range, the 2021 Cabernet Sauvignon Galitzine Clone 8 seduces with a pure heart of Red Mountain dustiness and shines with the purity of fruit and focus of Quilceda Creek's house style. Firm, rocky, juicy and expressive, the nose offers impeccable purity that flirts with triple digits. Full-bodied, layered and complex, this beauty will need at least one more year in the bottle and will have no trouble reaching its 25th birthday. The wine rested for 20 months in 100% French oak. Set to be released in August 2024, you'll want to mark your calendars for this devastatingly gorgeous release. Bravo. 18,000 bottles were made.
About the producer
Founded in 1978, Quilceda Creek helped put Washington Cabernet on the world stage. Mentored by André Tchelistcheff, the family-owned winery became renowned for its powerful, age-worthy Cabernets and was the first U.S. winery outside California to earn 100 points from Wine Advocate.