DeLille Cellars
Columbia Valley, Washington
DeLille Cellars is regarded as a top American producer of Bordeaux-style blends, showcasing a tradition of quality and excellence over its 30-year history. DeLille remains a principal influence in establishing Washington State as a premier viticultural region, with a focus on the Red Mountain AVA and other prestigious vineyard sites throughout the Columbia Valley.
Founded on the concept of crafting world-class wine from Washington State, DeLille Cellars was established by Chris Upchurch, Jay A. Soloff, Greg Lill, and his father Charles Lill. The four founders believed that all good blends transcend the sum of their individual parts, and this principle and company philosophy of “always seeking” guides the winery’s commitment to constant improvement, continuous discovery in the cellar, and ultimately the creation of exceptional wines and experiences.
1994 brought “a knockout first release” (Stephen Tanzer) of two DeLille Cellars classics: Chaleur Estate and D2. The inaugural wine, Chaleur Estate, marks the foundation on which the winery has built its craft of blending Washington State fruit. The wine showcases depth, complexity, focus and elegance that personifies the French word for warmth, chaleur. Following Bordeaux tradition, a second wine was created, called D2. The wine takes its name from the grand route du vin, or great wine road that travels through the historic wine region of Bordeaux. Upon release, both Chaleur Estate and D2 received outstanding scores from Stephen Tanzer’s International Wine Cellar, earning a 93 and 90, respectively. Robert Parker’s Wine Advocate described Chaleur Estate as “one of the most impressive Cabernet Sauvignon/Merlot/Cabernet Franc blends to emerge from Washington State.”
David Lake, a luminary in the Washington wine industry, was the consultant to DeLille Cellars for their first decade. David was the head winemaker at Associated Vintners/Columbia Winery and was the first Washington winemaker to hold a Master of Wine accreditation. The clean yet powerful and balanced style that DeLille is known for today was crafted by this Washington Wine Pioneer. The winemaking today is managed by Jason Gorski, who was promoted to the position in 2019 after eight years at the winery. Under Jason’s guidance, DeLille has soared to new heights, earning spots on numerous Top 100 lists and expanding the footprint and service of their tasting room.
Wines
Métier Cabernet Sauvignon
Columbia Valley
The sun-soaked Columbia Valley of Washington State provides ideal growing conditions for Cabernet Sauvignon, with dramatic swings in temperature from day to night. This natural phenomenon offers cool nights that conserve acidity, and intense sunny days that infuse bold, ripe fruit flavors. It is from this foundation of distinctive fruit that Métier is crafted, acknowledging the very best of the hands that diligently work the vineyards and the cellar.
Sagemoor Riesling
Columbia Valley
Desire for discovery and endless curiosity are integral to the philosophy of winemaking at DeLille. The ambitious challenge in the cellar is to improve constantly through continuous experimentation with winemaking techniques, vineyard sources and wine styles. Riesling, one of the founding varietals of Washington State, benefits from the warm days and cool nights of the Columbia Valley, producing wines of generous fruit flavors, well balanced by brisk acidity. The higher elevation of the White Bluffs allows for a longer growing season, adding hang time complexity to the fruit from the Gamache (52%) and Dionysus (48%) Vineyards.
Chaleur Blanc
Columbia Valley
Crafting a white Bordeaux-style blend was unheard of in Washington when the winery first created Chaleur Blanc. A blend of Sauvignon Blanc & Sémillon, this wine is fermented sur lie in French oak barrels, imparting a memorable “crème brulee” finish. Served at the White House over three administrations & rivaling its French counterparts in quality & exceptional value, Chaleur Blanc has become one of the winery’s most influential blends. First vintage 1995.
D2
Columbia Valley
D2 takes its name from the grand route du vin, or great wine road that travels through the historic chateau region of Bordeaux. Always leading with Merlot, D2 is a traditional Bordeaux-style blend sourced from over a dozen of the state’s most prestigious vineyards across the Columbia Valley to create the ultimate expression of Washington State terroir. Created as a second to Chaleur Estate, D2 has become the winery’s most sought-after label. First vintage 1992.
Four Flags
Red Mountain
Four Flags is 100% Cabernet Sauvignon blended from four prestigious Red Mountain vineyards. Originally made for our Wine Club as a blending trial of specific plots, this wine showcases the nuances of each vineyard in a seamless blend. Four Flags is a harmonious & complex representation of the incomparable terroir of Red Mountain & a tribute to the winery’s steadfast commitment to this respected viticultural area. First vintage 2010.
Chaleur Estate
Red Mountain
DeLille Cellars’ inaugural wine, Chaleur Estate marks the foundation on which the winery has built its craft of blending Washington State fruit in the traditional style. This wine is a Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend of Bordeaux varietals, with a focus on Red Mountain vineyards. The result is a wine of depth, complexity, focus and elegance that personifies the French word for warmth, chaleur. First vintage 1992.
Grand Ciel Cabernet Sauvignon
Red Mountain
Grand Ciel Cabernet is a single vineyard, single varietal & single clone Cabernet from our estate vineyard on Red Mountain. Every detail of our vineyard has been designed to produce the highest quality fruit from the unique climate & soil of this prestigious AVA known for ripe & structured Cabernet. Our rigorous selection process only permits a small portion of grapes to become part of Grand Ciel. First vintage 2004.
People
Jason Gorski
Jason Gorski joined DeLille Cellars in 2011 as lead winemaker under Chris Upchurch. In 2019, Jason took over all winemaking and vineyard operations as Director of Winemaking and Viticulture. Jason has been instrumental in DeLille Cellars’ success, expanding production and improving quality, including the achievement of numerous Top 100 ratings.
