When it comes to American wine Quilceda Creek is iconic, receiving insane recognition from the worlds best know wine writers. The Golitzin family began making wine at home in 1978. The winery is located in the outskirts of Snohomish a rural town on the western side of the Cascade Mountains in Washington State.
The grapes are grown on the Eastern side of the mountains in the dry semi dessert landscape. I was fortunate to visit with John Ware the general manager this summer. John is the son in-law of the founders. The winery despite it’s fame, and surely many offers to sell, is still in the family. Paul Golitzin makes the wine with the same high standards his father did. From 200 acres of vines, making only four different wines.
They are all red, high-end and hard to get your hands on. Quilceda wines are a classic at American steak houses, with the collector crowd and were even served at the White House. Often when wines come with such high accolades or a prestige we have preconceived that we will or will not like them based on where we feel we personally fit with in the stereotype. I went in opened minded about 100% new oak and 100 points.
We tasted some of the 2013 vintage, which was a warm vintage in Washington state. Palengant is the “right bank” blend with 58% Merlot in ’13. The nose was warm with alcohol, rich with black licorice and backing spices. The wine is very balanced and fresh in the mouth; elegant and powerful. Waxy tannins, black fruit and a refreshingly light bitter cocoa finish.
Next in the line up was the 2013 Cabernet Sauvignon from Columbia Valley, the “left bank” wine. Violets, black pepper corns, dried fruit and apricot on the nose. Again the balance and freshness were impressive for such powerhouse wines. Notes of tar, vanilla, cream pie and black berries. Certainly driven by big American fruit but elegant and as refined as the accolades imply.
John took me over to see the winemaking facilities still on the site of the old family home. The winery is modest in size and architecture compared to contemporaries. It is in a residential area of the small town I grew up in, not where you would expect a 100 point wine to be made. As restrained as they are in the outward appearance, the cellar is stocked! Only the best french oak from coopers that not even all the fancy burgundy estates can get ahold of.
Quality matters and it’s the back bone of what has made these wines so successful. I left with the utmost respect for the wines and the family who makes them. As my mother would say: “good people”.