2013 DeLille Cellars D2 Proprietary Red 750 ml

The “Outstanding” 2013 Vintage and Parker’s “Lafite-Rothschild of Washington State”

In Napa Valley, many growers and winemakers will tell you that allowing fruit to shrivel just a little bit before harvest appeals to those who appreciate bigger extraction and New World opulence. The Bordelaise, however, will tell you the opposite — shrivel equates to over-ripening. They say the magic comes from the balance between fully ripened (brown) seeds, skins, and higher natural acidity. But the most careful observers know that the vintage dictates the decisions that can and cannot be made in the weeks or even days before harvest. Such was the case in Washington's 2013, a vintage that will not soon be forgotten.

Wine Spectator would alert the world to Washington's "Outstanding" 2013 vintage. But it didn't always look so promising.

In one of the warmest growing seasons on record, anxieties ran high in the last weeks before harvest, with many fearing the threat of desiccation. As in 2003 and 2005, growers were forced to adjust to the conditions by allowing canopies to spread substantially more than usual. In warmer areas, some were baited into picking early, too careful to over-extract and lose balance in the wines. But not Chris Upchurch of DeLille Cellars, which Robert Parker called the “Lafite-Rothschild of Washington State.” From Upchurch’s first DeLille vintage in 1992, Parker was “impressed by the man’s enthusiasm and commitment to producing high quality wine.” So when Upchurch told us he rolled the dice in 2013, letting Nature run its course, we weren’t surprised when his gamble paid off.

In the last few weeks before harvest in mid-September, conditions suddenly cooled off, extending the growing season just a bit longer for the nearly-ripened Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, Petit Verdot, and Cabernet Franc. Sugars soared, but at a steady rate, achieving perfect phenolic maturity as cool temperatures kept natural acidities in check.

Clocking in at 14.3 degrees, DeLille’s 2013 D2 Proprietary Red is crafted from a selection of the Columbia Valley’s most prized vineyards, including Ciel du Cheval, Red Willow, Klipsun, Boushey, DuBrul, Upchurch, Grand Ciel, and the over 50-year-old vines of DeLille’s own Harrison Hill. Cold-soaked for up to 36 hours followed by a 2-week fermentation on the skins, the grapes that went into D2 saw 18 months of 100% French oak (55% new) before bottling.

Deep ruby-purple to the rim. Aromas of plum, rose petal, sweet herbs, pencil shavings, and licorice. Rich and supple on the attack and expansive on the mid-palate, loaded with black cherries, raspberries, kirsch, cocoa, and a hint of vanilla, reeled in by sweet tannins and chiseling acid focus. DeLille’s 2013 D2 Proprietary Red is a gorgeous combination of New World opulence and Old World “cut,” delicious today, arguing gracefully for another 15 years of cellaring.

Parker’s Wine Advocate called this 2013 D2 a “fabulous, outstanding Bordeaux blend” before lobbing on 92 points, a score that was matched by Wine Spectator. This is perhaps the finest American Bordeaux blend under-$40 we’ve tasted this year. That’s the good news. The bad? Only 600 bottles are up for grabs. Compared to $46. Just $34.99/bottle today.