2020
Quilceda Creek
“Galitzine” Cabernet Sauvignon
The 2020 “Galitzine” Cabernet Sauvignon is 100% Clone 8 Cabernet Sauvignon from our Galitzine Vineyard in Columbia Valley’s Red Mountain AVA. Like all of Quilceda Creek’s vineyards, Vineyard Manager Dan Nickolaus farms the vineyard with extreme precision. The 17-acre site has deep sandy loam soils that are ideal for root development and deficit irrigation, leading to excellent vineyard uniformity.
The 2020 Quilceda Creek Galitzine Cabernet Sauvignon aged in French oak barrels for 21 months and offers fruit-driven aromatics with dried red fruits, blackberry liqueur and fall baking spices. This is a complex and elegant wine, with character and great oak integration. The palate is energetic, with a savory sensation and the refined tannins, density and structure of a classic Red Mountain Cabernet Sauvignon. Capable of evolving for decades to come, Wine Advocate’s Anthony Mueller predicted this epic bottling’s future saying it “will indeed be a juggernaut and show better in time.” Critic Owen Bargreen gave the wine 100 points, calling the wine “a masterpiece by director of winemaking Paul Golitzin.”
100 points
"Stored in 100% new French oak, the single varietal 2020 Quilceda Creek ‘Galitzine Vineyard Clone 8’ Cabernet Sauvignon shows off its stunning aromatics with black tea, blueberry liquor, Turkish coffee and rocky soil notes alongside deep black and blue florals. The palate is deep and concentrated with intense black and blue fruit flavors. With more air intense mocha and graphite tones emerge with creme de cassis, cedar, and scorched earth flavors brilliantly combine. While very full-throttle, there is brilliant underlying finesse. Finishing exceedingly long, this is a masterpiece by director of winemaking Paul Golitzin. Be sure to give this three plus hours in the decanter before consuming. Drink 2022-2045."
99 points
"Set to be released in August 2023, the 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon Galitzine Clone 8 is big and juicy with seductive aromas of blackberry compote, dusty flowers and elegant oak spices. Full-bodied with generous layers and a robust and luxurious mouthfeel, the Cabernet reveals a fantastic and dusty edge that is not overdone yet walks the line of power and precision. Offering generous layers of resinous purple flowers that will indeed be a juggernaut and show better in time, the wine continues with a tight, complex and ever-evolving finish where I can see bumping the score up one more point in the coming years once it’s had time to come together. It’s an absolutely stellar expression of Galitzine Cabernet Sauvignon, but be patient with this one. The wine rested in 100% new French oak for 21 months."
99 points
"The 2020 Galitzine Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon is an utterly fascinating wine from Quilceda Creek. This opens to seductive aromas of ripe blackcurrants, blueberries and crème de cassis that are joined by pencil shavings, violets and wet gravel, along with hints of fresh tobacco and herb nuances that all explode from the glass. The palate is just as impressive, full-bodied, polished and seamless, with a remarkable concentrated core that delivers layers of beautiful ripe dark fruits which cascade on to the long expressive finish. This is an absolutely stunning bottle of Cabernet that is already fabulous now but will also have a marvelous future ahead."