For Day 5 of Be Good to Bob week, we opened these last night with friends:
With open face lobster sandwiches followed by constructed caesar salads:
2016 DeLille Cellars Chaleur Estate Blanc Columbia Valley Sémillon-Sauvignon Blanc Blend
Possibly the best vintage of Chaleur Blanc I've ever had in that it's more concentrated without seeming riper or more alcoholic. The balance is superb as well, with quince fruit, meyer lemon, yellow delicious apple and a feral bit of tarragon. My vote for most iconic WA white wine? This.
2017 Bevan Cellars Sauvignon Blanc Dry Stack Bennett Valley
I so love these SB's that I joined Bevan's mailing list in order to assure a direct supply line. My first '17, and it didn't disappoint. Has more oomph than the '13 Dry Stack had at the same age, and more mouthfeel than I remember in the '15. Splendid.
With stuffed porcelet slices and asparagus:
1999 Quilceda Creek Cabernet Sauvignon Washington
Great Paulliac-ish nose of graphite and cigar box, but the blackberry sweetness brings it home to WA. Fully mature--we uncorked it in advance then elected not to decant until service, and left the last cloudy inch in the bottle. Extremely good but overshadowed by the spectacular Reynvaan.
2012 Reynvaan Family Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon The Classic Walla Walla Valley
Time has been good to this; it's now one of the most stellar young Washington Cabernets I've ever had. Has the fruit, the depth, the structure and the elegance, along with a very modest touch of Rocks funk (you might not notice it if you weren't looking for it) for a perfect sense of place. It tastes exactly like what Reynvaan's cabernet SHOULD taste like if you know their syrahs. Honestly, so many WA cabs only taste like WA because they lack the typicities of CA or elsewhere--blind, it's a default guess--so this sets a new bar for what could be uniquely and recognizably Washingtonian. Pure class. Count yourself lucky if you own them. Decanted two hours (no sediment).