2009 Quilceda Creek Palengat Vineyard Red, Horse Heaven Hills [RP-97pts]

Ratings & Tasting Notes: 97 points Wine Advocate Much more Cabernet Sauvignon-dominated, the 2009 Palengat (86% Cabernet Sauvignon, 8% Cabernet Franc and 6% Merlot) shows the warmer vintage with ripe red and black fruit, licorice, roasted meat and hints of singed herbs on the nose. Fantastically polished on the palate, with silky tannin, full-bodied richness and a layered mouthfeel, it is a knockout effort that will have 15-20 years of prime drinking. Drink now-2029. Cult Wines International Notes: The 2009 Quilceda Creek Palengat Vineyard Red is a sophisticated and highly concentrated expression of the Horse Heaven Hills AVA, representing a slightly different stylistic direction than the estate’s flagship Cabernet. Sourced from the high-density Palengat vineyard, which was planted in 2002 on a wind-swept plateau above the Columbia River, this 2009 bottling is a Bordeaux-style blend composed of 74% Cabernet Sauvignon, 13% Cabernet Franc, 10% Merlot, and 3% Petit Verdot. The 2009 growing season in Washington was characterized by a warm summer followed by a sudden October frost, which required precise harvest timing; Quilceda Creek successfully navigated these conditions to produce a wine that balances intense fruit ripeness with a savory, mineral complexity derived from the vineyard’s fractured basalt and loess soils. On the palate, the 2009 Palengat is renowned for its “massive yet seamless” structure, offering a more aromatic and slightly more approachable profile in its youth compared to the more austere flagship Cabernet. It lead with an explosive bouquet of crème de cassis, crushed blackberries, and violets, interwoven with complex layers of lead pencil shavings, espresso, and spicy oak. The wine is full-bodied and voluptuous, featuring the silky, fine-grained tannins that have become a hallmark of the Golitzin family’s winemaking style. Now with over a decade of bottle age, it has developed beautiful tertiary notes of leather and dried herbs while maintaining a fresh, vibrant acidity that suggests a long life ahead. It remains a quintessential example of the “power and grace” that Washington State can achieve in a warm vintage. Bottle Size: 750 mL Storage History: Always stored on its side in a climate-controlled cellar. Condition: Please note: The bottle shown is the exact bottle being sold. Perfect. https://cultwinesintl.com/wp-content/uploads/2099/03/CWI-LISTING-VID.mp4